BOULDER — Early in the Pac-12 season, the Colorado women’s basketball team is facing a must-win situation.
The Buffaloes (5-7, 0-1 Pac-12) host Washington State (9-4, 0-2) on Monday night, trying to avoid getting swept at home in their first two conference games of the season.
“A win Monday is something we need,” freshman guard Kennedy Leonard said after the Buffaloes’ 76-74 loss to Washington at the Coors Events Center on Saturday. “We have to go break even at 1-1.”
To do that, the Buffs are hoping to carry momentum from Saturday’s second half. In that game, they erased a 19-point deficit and took a five-point lead early in the fourth quarter. But they missed two shots in the closing seconds that could have won the game or tied the score.
The Buffs are hoping their performance in the second half is more indicative of the type of team they can be this season.
“I was a little surprised (about the slow start),” said freshman guard Alexis Robinson. “I think it had to do with a lot of nerves and the first game in the conference. Second half, we had already pushed the first half aside and came out and did what we could.”
Coach Linda Lappe said the Buffs were too tentative in the first half against Washington.
“It just seemed like we felt the pressure was on us,” she said, “and the pressure is not on us.”
But there might be more pressure on the Buffs on Monday.
Washington State is one of the few teams picked to finish behind the Buffs this season in the Pac-12 race, and the Cougars already are off to a rough start.
After playing Washington State, the Buffs have three consecutive games against ranked teams — No. 19 California, No. 11 Stanford and No. 17 Arizona State — on the road. That puts added importance on Monday’s game.
“It is important; just to play well, to play not being so tentative and being aggressive,” Lappe said. “What we saw in the second half (Saturday against Washington) was focused, smart, together, aggressive. That’s what we have to expect.
“Monday’s game is important. We want to start to protect our home floor. We didn’t protect our home floor (Saturday), and it’s something we want to do from here on out.”
CU women’s basketball preview: Washington State
MATCHUP: Washington State Cougars (9-4, 0-2 Pac-12) at Colorado Buffaloes (5-7, 0-1 Pac-12).
GAME TIME: Monday, 8 p.m. at Coors Events Center in Boulder.
BROADCAST: Radio — KKZN (760 AM). TV — Pac-12 Network.
COACHES: Colorado — Linda Lappe, sixth year (103-76; 153-112 career); Washington State — June Daugherty, ninth year (99-164; 413-378 career).
LEADERS: Colorado — Scoring: F Jamee Swan, Sr., 15.3 ppg; Rebounding: Swan, 7.8 rpg; Assists: G Kennedy Leonard, Fr., 5.3 apg. Washington State — Scoring: F Borislava Hristova, Fr., 18.3 ppg; Rebounding: C Maria Kostourkova, Fr., 4.7 rpg; Assists: G Dawnyelle Awa, Sr., 2.9 apg.
NOTABLE: CU is 4-4 all-time against Washington State, 3-3 since joining the Pac-12. The teams split their two meetings last year. … The Buffs are looking to avoid a third 0-2 start in five years since joining the Pac-12. They started 0-4 last year. … After Hristova, nobody at WSU is averaging more than 7.2 points per game.
