Colorado’s training staff was among those getting an emotional thank-you from forward Jackie McFarland after a 63-47 victory Wednesday over Missouri on senior night at the Coors Events Center. Good thing, because once again McFarland had to carry the Buffaloes, this time getting game highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds before letting out tears of appreciation following her final regular-season game.
Those shoulders must be getting mighty sore.
“Jackie has been known to strap the team on her back,” said CU’s other senior honoree, point guard Susie Powers, a former Highlands Ranch star and McFarland’s roommate for three years.
On a night when the Buffaloes shot 34.5 percent as a team, McFarland scored 11 of CU’s first 13 points in the second half and converted all 12 of her free throws. McFarland moved to within 22 points of second place on CU’s all-time scoring list, behind Tera Bjorklund.
“I don’t know if people on our team expected this to be just about the seniors (because) there wasn’t any life or energy,” McFarland said. “But for me, it was the exact opposite. I wanted this to be the most fun game of my career.”
“This is what Jackie deserved,” CU coach Kathy McConnell-Miller added.
Thanks in part to losses by Texas Tech and Kansas on Wednesday, Colorado (16-13, 5-11 Big 12) earned the No. 9 seed in next week’s Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. The Buffs will face No. 8 seed Iowa State on Tuesday in a first-round matchup at 11 a.m. MST. Iowa State swept two games from CU during the regular season.
There is a possibility that this was not CU’s final home game of the season. The Buffs clinched a winning record and could be considered for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
