Colorado Buffaloes Women’s Basketball: Taking a look back on Senior Day for the Buffs

As the Buffs close in on Senior Day this Saturday against Oregon State, it will be the last time several of these girls step out onto the court in Boulder. We take a look back at the time each of these young ladies have had, and celebrate them going into the last game of the regular season.

Lesila Finau #4 guard

Finau began her start with the Buffs in 2018 where she averaged 16.5 minutes and 3 points per game. This season Finau is averaging 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds. Shooting almost 37 percent from the field and 24 percent at three-point range. Standing 5-foot-9 from Dublin California this senior does a lot of things that doesn’t appear on a box score.

She scored her career high 15 points against the big win against Oregon two days ago. It helped to solidify Colorado’s at large bid in the NCAA tournament. Sila has scored 432 career points and 270 rebounds. To go along with that 159 assists. Finau energizes the crowd energizes the team and is a key part of their success this season.

Tayanna Jones #1 Guard

The 6-foot-1 senior from Selma, North Carolina started her NCAA career at Georgetown. Transferring to Colorado in 2020. In her two seasons with the Buffs she’s averaged around 4 points a game. From season to season Jones has gotten better and more productive. This season she ended up with 3.8 points a game, shooting 68 percent from the line. With a 49 percent field goal percentage.

Tayanna’s highest scoring game this season was 15 points. She has 328 career points and 192 rebounds. Her academic background is in sociology but she has aspirations first of playing in the WNBA.

Aubrey Knight #24 Guard

Knight came out of Ventura High School in California. The six foot senior began her time in Colorado in 2017. Starting her career with 28 games and averaging 17 minutes and 3.6 points with 4.4 rebounds. She ends this season with an average of 5.5 points and 24 minutes of action per game, and 5 rebounds a contest.

She was the 2017-2018 Ceal Barry Pride Award winner and a 2018 Pac-12-All-Academic honorable mention, and a Ceal Barry Pride Award in 2020 as well. Her season high in points were 11 and career high in rebounds were 14. Aubrey has already graduated with aspirations to become a detective one day. Knight has 457 career points and 424 rebounds, with 108 blocks.

Peanut Tuitele #33 Forward

Serina “Peanut” Tuitele the six-foot-one forward comes by way of Chico California. Also starting her career in Boulder in 2018. She averaged 7.3 points per game and 3.7 rebounds. Throughout her career she has maintained around the same average. Starting with the Buffs in 2019 she has been a force on the boards and consistent offensive player. Known as a tough and tenacious defender for the Buffs. This season she mightily upped her three-point-game shooting 40 percent, in her previous season only shooting 28. Growth is something you always look for in players and this girl has it. Tuitele is coming off a big game scoring 10 points and 6 rebounds. She was instrumental in their recent win against No. 25 Oregon.

For her career Tuitele has 604 points and 357 rebounds. Her play goes far beyond what you can see on a stat sheet. Without her defense the Buffs would not be the same team.

Upon finishing up this last year Tuitele is very confident this team can get to the NCAA tournament. She said the previous teams in her time here at Colorado maybe not, but with this team she believes in them 100 percent. She’s a player who plays through the pain and adversity day in and day out. Tuitele does have a year of eligibility left but time will tell if that’s with Colorado or elsewhere. Head coach JR Payne said she is everything and more that they wanted when recruiting her.

Mya Hollingshed #21 Forward

What can’t you say about Mya Hollingshed? In a word, unselfish. One of the most decorated Buffs of all time. Mya made the decision to come back to Boulder to help her team get to the big dance. She could be well on her way to the WNBA already and I call that class and loyalty. Head coach JR Payne calls her a ray of sunshine and an incredible human being. She doesn’t know yet what she will do without her, but sometimes you just have let stars shine.

This season Mya is averaging 14.4 points a game and 7.2 rebounds, along with 2.0 assist. She started her career in 2017 for the Buffs. Began it by averaging 16.8 minutes with 6.8 points and nearly 4 rebounds. In 2018 Hollingshed averaged her first double digits in points and never looked back. She went from averaging 10.8 that season to her highest season, which was last season with 15.4 points a game and 7.8 rebounds. With a 75 percentage at the line and shooting 40 percent from the free throw line this season. A big step off over last seasons 28.2 percent.

What has been most impressive in Mya’s career are her double-doubles. The double-double Queen. She has had 8 double-doubles this season. 24 in her time in Colorado, and ranks 6th in all-time career double-doubles list. The Houston native is so cherished and going to be sorely missed. She was an All-Pac 12 player this season. A 2020 offensive MVP. A multiple winner for the Lisa Van Goor Rebounding Award, and a Pac-12 player of the week this season. Her career high in points was 32 this year against Stanford. Career high in rebounds was 17, this season as well.

In her illustrious career she has scored 1,619 points. 867 rebounds. 113 blocks and 135 steals. Mya graduated in the spring with a degree in communications. We all know the sky is the limit for her and look forward to seeing her in the WNBA next season. We are cheering for you Mya wherever you go next.