WBB: CU Buffs regroup with five games to go (Game Thread)

[RSSBot]

By Brian Howell Buffzone.com

With five games to play, it is safe to say that the season has not gone as well as the Colorado women's basketball team had hoped.

Originally posted by Daily Camera
Click here to view the article.

 

[Buffnik]

I hope this was the kick in the ass the team needed.

Buffs are sitting at 16-8 (5-8) with 5 games to play.

Current Pac-12 standings:

1. Stanford (14-0)
2. Cal (10-4)
3t. Arizona State (8-6)
3t. Oregon State (8-6)
5t. USC (7-6)
5t. UCLA (7-6)
7. Oregon (6-8)
8t. Colroado (5-8)
8t. Utah (5-8)
10. Washington (5-9)
11. Washington State (4-10)
12. Arizona (3-11)

A win today against Utah pushes us into a 7th place tie with Oregon.

Then, we go to Stanford and Cal for a brutal road trip next week. Maybe we could steal one against Cal.

We finish with Oregon and Oregon State at home. We need to win those.

If we can go 3-2, we're looking at a 19-10 (8-10) record. Hopefully that would be good enough for a 6th seed in the Pac-12 tourney and an opener against either Wazzu or Zona. We've got a chance against whoever would end up as the 3 Seed. And we'd have a chance in the next round since we wouldn't draw Stanford in the semis.

We've got to get hot, but this team still has an opportunity to get to 21 or 22 wins and be back on the NCAA bubble with a high likelihood of hosting NIT games if we don't get selected.

 

[Buffnik]

One big issue right now is that the Pac-12 is looking like a 2-bid league (Stanford and Cal).

The next highest rated team is USC, which was among the "Next 4 Out" in the latest WNCAA Bracketology.

It would help the conference if the women of Troy could win their last 5 to get to 18-11 and secure that 3rd seed in the P12 Tourney. We did beat them earlier this year.

 

[Buffnik]

Tied at 48 with 2:40 to go. Hard to win when you are 1/7 from the free throw line.

 

[Buffnik]

Now tied at 50.

Turnover. Utah gets the ball with 26 seconds left to win it.

 

[Buffnik]

OT

 

[Buffnik]

CU 56 - UU 55 with 56 seconds left in OT. Utah ball.

 

[Buffnik]

Utah hit a 3.

Down 2 with 28 seconds left.

 

[Buffnik]

Chucky got blocked on a layup attempt. No foul despite the arm across her face.

Utah on the foul line with 16.7 left.

Made the first. Down 3 with a timeout and one more FT.

 

[Buffnik]

Made the 2nd and then we turned it over.

Ballgame.

Let's hope for the WNIT.

 

[buffgal]

I actually attended this game. Too many free throws were missed. There should not have been an overtime. CU would have won the game had they made free throws in regulation--but they didn't. Another game for MPP with 0 points. She is good on defense. She didn't play a lot in the second half and when she went in, she was very hesitant to shoot. She passed the ball to a teammate twice that I recall.

 

[buffgal]

I don't know if you saw the double technical on Ashley Wilson and a Utah player. After the game, some fans in the stand were asking her what happened and she said the Utah player told her to keep her hands off her and then shoved her. The next thing she knew, the whistle was blowing and it was a double technical. When I get home and can watch the play, I will see if I buy her story. My line of vision was blocked and I did not see what happened. I don't know if I will see it on the broadcast or not.

I don't see any way to beat Stanford and also don't think we can beat the more athletic Cal team. Should beat Oregon and Oregon State at home, but with this team and no go to player, it's hard to say if they will.

 

[Buffnik]

They're very frustrating to watch. I've never seen a team go into a funk for such long periods.

More than anything, I think they need a true point guard.

 

[buff190]

Should beat Oregon and Oregon State at home, but with this team and no go to player, it's hard to say if they will.

Yep, like we should have beat Utah at home. :huh:

Unfortunately the depth of this team is not as good as it looked early on. Once you get past the top 3 or 4 players the talent and/or experience goes down quite a bit. Everyone knew this going in to the season. It's just the 13-0 start got us believing that we were better than we had originally thought. The OOC schedule created this allusion but now it is clear. The talent left by the previous coach has made it tough to reach the teams goals set for this season.

Lappe has done a commendable job with this team. She definitely has this team fighting every night. One thing this team does have is HEART! I'll give them that. As I keep saying (to myself mostly) is that the future is bright with this coaching staff, the young talent we already have and the future talent coming in.

Keep fighting Buffs!!! Stay proud!!!

 

[Buffnik]

Yeah. I definitely like the chances for the 2012-13 squad.

For the rest of this season, I'd like to see a split for the rest of the regular season and 1 win in the conference tourney. I would think that would get us into the NIT.

 

[BeBe]

They're very frustrating to watch. I've never seen a team go into a funk for such long periods.

More than anything, I think they need a true point guard.

Yes and yes. I'm wondering how much the incoming point guard, Kyleesha Weston, can pick up quickly so as to be able to play good minutes at the point next year. As good as Chucky is, she is NOT really a point guard. Just the best option the team currently has.
From what I read in the "Jamee Swan" article, where it said the team was going to Italy in the summer, I have to think that is a good thing in that it will give the new players more practices early on and some games that count for nothing except improving as individuaos and as a team. Also Lappe has been quoted as saying that they need to have an OOC schedule that is tougher than what they had this season. Another good thing so conference play doesn't come as such a shock to them.

 

[buffgal]

I was surprised at how some of the freshmen still look like deer in the headlights this late in the season.