The Colorado women’s basketball team ended up high rollers in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament. It was a tough battle in the first half when the Buffs found themselves down. But in the end the Huskies became no match for the House of Payne who got their 21rst victory of the season with the win.
Quay Miller came off the blocks early with a fast 6 points and 3 rebounds against her former team. Freshman Kindyll Wetta had a monster of a first half with 8 points. In the battle of the boards Colorado was winning mightily with 30 against the Huskies 18. It was not a pretty first two quarters for either team. A huge defensive output and offensive struggles on both sides.
At the intermission head coach JR Payne said they needed to stop shooting so many three-point shots. They just were not falling for them, and they needed better ball movement. To be more assertive after getting all their offensive rebounds. The Buffs were turning the ball over way too much after so many golden opportunities.
It was a bit of a struggle for Mya Hollingshed in the first half though part of the third. She was only 1-10 with two points in the third. The game was tight, but Quay Miller hit a three-pointer to take the lead back up to 6 late in the third.
When the fourth quarter came around it became another game. No more offensive struggles as the Buffs and the Huskies were lighting it up. Exchanging leads back and forth. Until a three-pointer by Peanut Tuitele got the lead back up to 4 for them.
Former Husky Tameiya Sadler also had a great game. She was doing to Washington what she did to Colorado last year during the Pac-12 Tournament. Sadler came up huge in long range shots and layups, scoring 7 points in 18 minutes. Sadly she went down hard in the 4th and we all hope she is okay.
With a turnover by Washington with 2:23 to go the ball went to Frida Formann who made a clutch three-point shot after a Tuitele rebound, her first make of the game. The ball went back to the Huskies who made another costly error, throwing the ball too high and Colorado got yet another turnover. The Buffs went on an 8-0 run late in the fourth and added some free-throw shots to pull this one out in Las Vegas.
Peanut Tuitele was a big clutch all game long. She was the teams highest scorer with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Mya Hollingshed came alive late in the third and through the fourth quarter, to gather another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Quay Miller finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds.
This was the exact moment that Mya Hollingshed came back to Colorado for. To get them to the next level. Hollingshed is the only player in Pac-12 history to lead her team in three-point field goal percentage, rebounds, and points. The Buffs go head to head with Arizona tomorrow at noon PT to see if they can get another chance with Stanford in round 3 should they win Thursday. Could three finally be their lucky number?