CU Buffs women’s basketball rolls past UNC in home opener – Boulder Daily Camera

On November 9, 2024By Littum

Quick break

Why the Buffs won: CU won the game in the paint, outscoring the Bears 38-22 and 39-28. The Buffs also converted 22 UNC turnovers into 22 points.

Three stars:

1. Jade Masogayo: Before fouling out in the final few minutes, she posted a game-high 19 points, along with five assists and two rebounds. She made 8 of 12 shots.

2. Kindyll Wetta: Scored just four points, but she dished out a career-high 10 assists and kept the offense going all night.

3. Nyamer Diew: She finished with 14 points and three rebounds and hit two of her four 3-point attempts.

Next: CU begins a two-game road swing on Sunday at Boise State at 14.00 MT.

Jade Masogayo felt some jitters before Thursday night’s game, but they didn’t last long.

The Colorado junior scored four early points to settle in and finished with 19 points to help the Colorado women’s basketball team to an 81-66 victory against Northern Colorado at the CU Events Center in the home opener.

“I’m the type of person that has, like, early jitters when it comes to playing games and stuff like that,” Masogayo said. “But as soon as I know my teammates are getting me going and stuff, I know I have a lot of support around me, so it’s just great.”

It was a bit of a rollercoaster night for the Buffs (2-0), but they never trailed in the win.

“It was pretty up and down,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “Many good things, much to learn.”

In addition to Masogayo’s big night, Nyamer Diew had 14 points, Johanna Teder had 10 points and senior Kindyll Wetta posted a career-high 10 assists for CU. Freshman Tabitha Betson also had a good night with eight points, eight rebounds and three assists.

A year ago, UNC jumped out to a 14-0 lead before CU cruised to a 20-point victory. This time it was CU that got off to a fast start and went up 12-2 after just four minutes. Wetta set the tone with an immediate jumper and three assists in the early surge – two of those assists to Masogayo.

Colorado’s Kindyll Wetta, right, looks to pass while covered by Northern Colorado’s London Gamble, left, at the CU Events Center in Boulder on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)

“Kindyll was really good at attacking and getting to those paint touches,” Teder said.

It wouldn’t be an easy night for the Buffs, though, because the Bears hung around for most of the game.

CU took a 41-27 lead on a Lior Garzon 3-pointer midway through the second quarter, but went 3-for-15 over the next nine minutes. During that time, UNC cut the Buffs’ lead to 49-41 midway through the third quarter.

Kennedy Sanders then sparked a 10-1 CU run that pushed the lead to 59-42 late in the third. That would be CU’s largest lead, but UNC didn’t go away. Tatum West scored six points in a 16-8 UNC surge that cut the Buffs’ lead to 70-61 with 3:33 left.

Tabitha Betson and Johanna Teder hit late 3-pointers to give the Buffs the win.

“Proud of our ability to weather the storm,” Payne said. “I thought we did a good job of really sticking together.”

Remarkable

CU honored legendary coach Ceal Barry at halftime, unveiling a banner in the rafters to celebrate her 2018 induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Barry is the winningest coach in CU athletics history with a 427-242 record in his 22 seasons (1983-2005) with the women’s basketball program. … Senior guard Frida Formann missed her second game with a foot injury. … The Buffs have won 17 consecutive home openers and improved to 49-2 all-time in home openers. … Under Payne, the Buffs are 49-2 in non-conference home games, including a current 37-game winning streak.

Colorado 81, Northern Colorado 66

NORTHERN COLORADO (1-1)

Felter 1-1 3-4 5, Hal 1-4 4-6 6, Nativi 5-6 1-2 13, Vest 3-8 4-9 10, Van Weelden 3-7 0-0 8, Gamble 3-10 4-4 12, George 3-5 1-2 8, Moore 0-2 0-0 0, Rummery-Lamb 2-4 0-0 4, Saleh 0-0 0-0 0. Total 21-47 17-27 66.

COLORADO (2-0)

Diew 5-10 2-3 14, Garzon 2-12 0-0 5, Masogayo 8-12 3-4 19, Wetta 2-9 0-0 4, Betson 3-4 0-0 8, Johnson 3-4 1 -2 7, Sanders 1-1 3-4 5, Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 4-8 0-0 9, Teder 4-6 1-2 10, Grace 0-0 0-0 0. Total 32-66 10-15 81.

No. Colorado 15 19 10 22 – 66

Colorado 25 19 16 21 – 81

3-Point Goals – UNC 7-17 (Gamble 2-6, Van Weelden 2-4, Nativi 2-3, George 1-1, Moore 0-2, Rummery-Lamb 0-1), Colorado 7-20 (Diew 2-4, Betson 2-2, Garzon 1-8, Teder 1-3, Smith 1-1, Wetta 0-2). Rebounds – UNC 28 (West 8), Colorado 39 (Betson 8). Assists – UNC 13 (Field 6), Colorado 26 (Wetta 10). Steals – UNC 8 (West 3), Colorado 12 (Smith 4). Turnovers – UNC 22, Colorado 16. Total fouls – UNC 16, Colorado 18. Fouled out – Masogayo. Spectators – 2,161.

Originally published: 7 November 2024 at 21:40 MST