BOULDER — The Colorado women’s basketball program, like its male counterpart, is in a desperate recruiting search for a center who can match up with the dominant post players that every other team in the Big 12 Conference seems to have.
Never was that more evident than during Saturday’s 95-61 trouncing by No. 12 Texas A&M. The Aggies (20-7, 8-6 Big 12), as deep and athletic up front as any team in the conference, outscored Colorado in the paint by a 40-20 margin.
Colorado (13-14, 3-11) was coming off an overtime win at Missouri, but any carryover momentum vanished when Texas A&M powered to quick leads of 18-11, 25-13 and 43-22.
“We don’t have a post presence, and it’s devastating us right now,” said CU coach Kathy McConnell-Miller, 65-85 in her fifth season. “At this point, we’re out there trying to find the best ‘big’ we can.”
Senior guard Bianca Smith provided Colorado’s lone bright spots, becoming the program’s all-time 3-point scorer en route to a game- high 22 points. Smith needed two 3s to pass CU legend Shelley Sheetz, who made 252 3-pointers from 1991-95. Smith broke the mark with 7:32 left in the first half and finished with four 3-pointers.
“Shelley Sheetz was a great player, and I’m humbled,” Smith said.
Texas A&M coach Gary Blair told the media that CU needs to remain patient with McConnell-Miller.
“Kathy is class. She will get it done,” Blair said. “It takes time in this league.”
