Boulder – A young Colorado team fumbled away a much-needed victory Saturday.
The Buffaloes looked ready to notch their second straight Big 12 win, nursing a six-point lead with six minutes to play when Texas star guard Tiffany Jackson injured her ankle and had to be carried off the court.
Colorado (7-15, 2-8) committed five turnovers in the final four minutes, and the Longhorns (12-8, 6-4) capitalized to hand their hosts a 69-64 defeat. Texas spread the ball around in the final minutes, outscoring the Buffaloes 17-6 after Jackson left the game.
“To me, Texas rallied around their best player,” Colorado coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. “I thought they became a more balanced team. I thought they stopped looking for one person in particular.”
Both teams looked hesitant early, but Texas put together an 11-point run and took a six-point lead into halftime. The Buffaloes climbed back in the second half, playing a more aggressive man-to-man defense and finding their rhythm on the offensive end.
Forward Jackie McFarland hit two free throws to give Colorado its first lead of the second half, and Jasmina Ilic connected on a 12-foot jumper to boost the Buffaloes’ edge to six. Ilic had a game-high 20 points on 6-of-18 shooting. McFarland finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Erika Arriaran, who paced the Longhorns with 14 points, hit two quick jumpers after Jackson’s exit, cutting Colorado’s cushion to just two points. Texas continued to convert as the Buffaloes committed four turnovers on five possessions down the stretch.
“Overall, I thought we really showed some courage not to get so down on ourselves that we couldn’t stay in the ballgame, and I thought we were real disciplined in making plays,” Texas coach Jody Conradt said. “All those were things we didn’t show at the beginning of the game, but when it really mattered we had a lot of people step up.”
Ilic launched a desperation 3-pointer that would have tied the game with two seconds left, but Texas’ Nina Norman grabbed the airball and converted both free throws.
The Longhorns’ fresh legs gave them an edge in the second half as Colorado wore down, McConnell-Miller said.
“There’s no doubt that depth is an issue, has always been an issue for us,” the first-year coach said. “And when they go to their bench they get good, and they get quick, and they get fast.”
TEXAS (12-8, 6-4 BIG 12)
Jackson 4-11 3-4 11, Robinson 0-1 2-2 2, Mieloszynska 2-5 0-0 5, Norman 4-8 4-5 12, Reed 2-6 2-2 6, Cobbins 0-0 0-0 0, Arriaran 5-12 2-3 14, Bailey 1-4 0-0 2, Boyd 3-4 0-0 6, Lindsey 2-5 0-0 4, Cook 0-2 0-0 0, Mergerson 2-3 3-4 7. Totals 25-61 16-20 69.
COLORADO (7-15, 2-8)
Nedovic 1-4 2-2 5, Ilic 6-19 6-6 20, McFarland 4-10 9-10 17, Law 3-8 5-6 11, Escalera 2-2 0-0 4, Lubin 0-0 0-0 0, Skildum 2-7 0-0 4, Dow 1-6 1-2 3. Totals 19-56 23-26 64.
Halftime – Texas 33-27. 3-point goals – Texas 3-8 (Arriaran 2-5, Mieloszynska 1-1, Norman 0-1, Reed 0-1), Colorado 3-15 (Ilic 2-10, Nedovic 1-2, Dow 0-1, Law 0-2). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – Texas 34 (Jackson 6), Colorado 43 (McFarland 11). Assists – Texas 8 (Jackson, Norman, Reed 2), Colorado 12 (Law 5). Total fouls – Texas 20, Colorado 18. A – 2,181.
Colorado men at Iowa State
When: Noon, today
Where: Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa
TV/radio: Alt/KKZN 760 AM
Notes: CU’s No. 25 ranking by the coaches is its first appearance in a national poll since the 1996-97 season. … Colorado won 54-52 in overtime last year at Iowa State, the Buffs’ third win in 29 trips to Ames since 1977. … CU junior guard Marcus Hall (back spasms) expects to start. … Iowa State went a combined 30-4 at home in coach Wayne Morgan’s first two years, but the Cyclones have lost five times in Ames this season and lost another game in Des Moines. “We’re just not doing a good job of holding serve at home,” Morgan said. … Iowa State boasts one of the nation’s top backcourts, but its young frontcourt players can be pushed around. Cyclones have been outrebounded by 6.4 boards per game in league play.
– Tom Kensler
