Boulder – If little else, it was a nice tuneup for Yari Escalera’s homecoming.
When the Colorado women’s basketball team arrives at the San Juan Shootout with their Puerto Rican point guard Dec. 19, it won’t be on a three-game losing streak.
With Escalera, the sophomore from the town of Humacao, providing some timely spark, the Buffs (3-4) got their offense humming in an 84-57 romp over a Pacific (1-6) team that has been struggling so badly over the past two seasons, its coach quit Monday.
CU’s defense wasn’t bad, either, especially in the first half, when the Buffs outscored the Tigers 50-18. The biggest chunk of that came on a 21-0 run. Escalera scored the last seven points of the run on two fast breaks sandwiched around a 3-pointer.
“I feel like we played extremely well in the first half,” CU coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. “In the second half, I saw a team I’ve seen too often this season.”
But if the Buffs got bored in the second half, it was certainly understandable. With first-year assistant Karen Weitz taking over for Craig Jackson, the Tigers looked more than a little lost in losing their sixth straight game of the season.
McConnell-Miller said she was “a bit anxious” about not knowing what to expect from a team only days after its coach quit.
“From what I heard, I guess he felt like he needed to give someone else a chance,” she said. “I thought it might motivate them in the first half, but it obviously didn’t.”
Colorado’s 1-2 scoring punch was hot again with Jackie McFarland scoring 26 points and Jasmina Ilic adding 20. It was the fourth time those two each scored 20-plus points. The Buffs are 3-1 in those games.
The Buffs’ coach said her team is showing steady improvement, with 10 days to prepare for the four-team tournament in Puerto Rico. “I’m excited, but not as excited as Yari is. I compare her to a homesick little puppy because that’s what she is right now.”
Escalera said she had just one week at home this summer, “so I’m just really happy to be going back. My family has never seen me play in college.”
PACIFIC (1-6)
Ruiz 0-2 2-2 2, Sanerivi 3-4 1-2 7, Roberts 3-10 2-3 9, Lavender 2-9 2-2 8, Freeman 5-8 0-1 11, Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Moran 3-8 1-2 8, Hart 0-2 0-0 0, Dawkins 6-12 0-0 12, Melcher 0-1 0-0 2, Dolezal 0-1 0-0 1, Head 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-59 8-12 57.
COLORADO (3-4)
Nedovic 3-6 1-2 9, Ilic 7-20 2-2 20, McFarland 8-13 10-15 26, Lubin 2-5 2-2 6, Law 4-11 2-4 10, Skildum 0-0 2-2 2, Wallace 0-0 0-0 0, Escalera 3-5 0-0 7, Dow 1-3 0-0 7, Garnett 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 29-64 19-27 84.
Halftime – Colorado 50-18. 3-point goals – Pacific 5-17 (Lavender 2-7, Freeman 1-2, Moran 1-3, Roberts 1-5); Colorado 7-16 (Ilic 4-7, Nedovic 2-4, Escalera 1-1, McFarland 0-1, Lubin 0-3). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – Pacific 36 (Ruiz 10); Colorado 43 (McFarland). Assists – Pacific 9 (Ruiz, Melcher 2); Colorado 19 (Law 5). Total fouls – Pacific 24; Colorado 14. A – 1,016.
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
