BOULDER — Andrea Riley scored 30 points and led a second-half surge that sent No. 21 Oklahoma State past Colorado 82-71 on Saturday night.
The Cowgirls (17-3, 5-2 Big 12) also got 21 points and 13 rebounds from Shaunte Smith in sending the Buffs (13-8, 2-6) to their sixth loss in seven games.
Buffs captain Jackie McFarland overcame a rotation of bruising forwards knocking her around under the basket to nearly record the first triple-double in Colorado women’s basketball history. She scored 21 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out eight assists, a career best.
Colorado trailed 58-54 on McFarland’s free throw with 7 1/2 minutes left, but Riley hit a jumper and a 3-pointer from beyond NBA range during a 9-3 spurt that the Cowgirls used to take control of the back-and-forth game.
OKLAHOMA STATE (17-3, 5-2 BIG 12)
Smith 7-12 7-8 21, Cordero 2-5 0-0 4, Riley 10-19 7-8 30, Hardeman 3-11 2-4 10, Green 6-8 1-6 14, Hernandez 1-6 0-0 3, Walter 0-0 0-0 0, Byford 0-0 0-0 0, Spears 0-1 0-0 0, Richardson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-64 17-26 82.
COLORADO (13-8, 2-6)
Spears 5-15 0-0 14, Putnina 6-11 2-2 14, McFarland 6-15 9-11 21, Smith 3-13 0-0 9, Powers 2-5 0-0 6, Houston 1-4 0-0 2, Skildum 1-2 0-0 3, Dow 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-67 11-13 71.
Halftime — Oklahoma St. 33-31. 3-point goals — Oklahoma St. 7-23 (Riley 3-7, Hardeman 2-9, Green 1-1, Hernandez 1-4, Cordero 0-2); Colorado 10-34 (Spears 4-12, Smith 3-11, Powers 2-4, Skildum 1-2, Putnina 0-1, Houston 0-2, McFarland 0-2). Fouled out — Cordero, Spears. Rebounds — Oklahoma St. 50 (Smith 13), Colorado 36 (McFarland 16). Assists — Oklahoma St. 14 (Riley 7), Colorado 21 (McFarland 8). Total fouls — Oklahoma St. 19, Colorado 22. A — 2,528.
