BOULDER, Colo. – The Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team found itself in the middle of a blizzard Thursday night — then the game ended. The University of Colorado raced to a 15–point halftime lead then rolled to a 76–61 victory at the Coors Events Center in Boulder.
The Roadrunners got to Colorado just ahead of a blizzard that shut the airport down for the second time in a week, but Colorado buried Bakersfield under an unexpected blizzard of three–pointers and offensive rebounds.
Given its considerable size advantage, Colorado's 50–25 rebounding edge was alarming if not completely unexpected. But just two Buffaloes entered the game with more than 10 three–point field goals, while as a team, Colorado averaged just four three–pointers per game while shooting only 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Led by guard Bianca Smith, who nailed four threes, Colorado was a season–best 8-of-20 (40 percent) from long range. The normally solid shooting Roadrunners made just 2-of-13.
Colorado relied on its perimeter game after early foul trouble forced the Roadrunners to play zone defense. Senior center Jessi Loring picked up her second fould and went to the bench with the game tied at 17–17, influencing the defensive adjustment. The Buffaloes made the next basket and never trailed again.
Loring led the way for Bakersfield with 21 points. Freshman forward Florida Siaosi came off the bench to add 11 points.
Center Jackie McFarland made nine of her 10 shots from the field to lead five Colorado players in double figures with 22 points. Anna Nedovic came off the bench to post a 10–point, 10–rebound double–double for the Buffaloes.
With the loss, CSUB (6–4 overall) concludes the NCAA Division I portion of its schedule with a 2–4 record. The Roadrunner return to conference action next weekend when they travel to meet Cal State Stanislaus Jan. 5 in Turlock.
Colorado snapped a four–game losing streak with the win and evened its record at 6–6.
CS BAKERSFIELD (6–4): Naomi Johnson 1-3 0-0 2; Jessi Loring 8-14 5-8 21; Kelley Tarver 2-5 1-3 5; Krista Arase 1-4 0-0 3; Christine Kepenekian 1-7 2-2 4; Tiffany Belt 0-0 0-0 0; Katherine Smith 1-6 4-4 6; Rhondi Naff 1-4 0-0 3; Kelly Blair 0-0 0-0 0; Rhonda Johnson 3-7 0-0 6; Florida Siaosi 4-7 3-3 11; Leesa Barnes 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-57 15-20 61.
COLORADO (6–6): Jasmina Ilic 4-11 0-0 8; Jackie McFarland 9-10 4-5 22; Kara Richards 5-8 0-0 10; Bianca Smith 4-9 0-0 12; Susie Powers 2-7 0-0 6; Hannah Skildum 1-8 2-2 4; Anna Nedovic 3-8 2-2 10; Courtney Wallace 0-0 0-0 0; Candace Rucker 1-1 0-0 2; Aija Putnina 0-2 0-0 0; Caley Dow 1-2 0-0 2. TOTALS: 30-66 8-9 76.
HALFTIME: CU 45-30. 3-PT. FG: CSUB 2-13 (Naff 1-2, Arase 1-3, Tarver 0-1, Siaosi 0-1, Kepenekian 0-3, Smith 0-3); CU 8-20 (Smith 4-8, Nedovic 2-3, Powers 2-4, Skildum 0-1, Ilic 0-4). REBOUNDS: CSUB 25 (4 with 4); CU 50 (Nedovic 10). ASSISTS: CSUB 14 (Arase 5); CU 19 (Powers 5). TURNOVERS: CSUB 20, CU 29. BLOCKS: CSUB 2 (Arase, R. Johnson); CU 7 (McFarland, Richards 2). STEALS: CSUB 13 (Tarver 4); CU 14 (McFarland 4). TECHNICALS: None. FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Contreras, McDaniel, Murry. ATTN: 587.
