1. Maddie Nolan: She scored a season-high 19 factors, hitting 5-of-9 from 3-point vary, whereas additionally having a season-high six assists and including 4 rebounds.
2. Quay Miller: Posted yet one more double-double, with 12 factors and 11 rebounds.
3. Jaylyn Sherrod: Completed with six factors, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Maddie Nolan yelled and pumped her fist after one other bucket by the Colorado Buffaloes, however whereas she was the main scorer on Friday night time, this celebration got here after one in all her passes resulted in factors for another person.
The unselfish nature of the No. 4-ranked CU girls’s basketball workforce was on full show Friday because it raced previous Oregon, 90-57, on the CU Occasions Middle.
“I believe everyone seems to be shopping for into that concept of sharing the ball till we discover the perfect workforce shot,” CU head coach JR Payne mentioned.
It occurred quite a bit on Friday. Nolan had a season-high 19 factors but in addition a season-high six assists. That was a part of an eye-popping 32 assists on 36 baskets for the Buffs (20-3, 10-2 Pac-12), who proceed to take a seat atop the convention standings after sweeping the common season set from the Geese (11-13, 2-9) for the primary time in 11 years.
“Actually pleased with our preparation all week lengthy,” Payne mentioned. “I assumed our workforce, we’re placing an excellent steadiness of focus, protecting issues gentle, ensuring we’re ready. We have been in a very good place tonight.
“It thought we performed like we’re feeling actually good.”
The Buffs posted simply the fifteenth 30-assist recreation in program historical past, however solely the second because the mid-Nineteen Nineties. Their 32 assists have been essentially the most in a recreation since recording 35 in opposition to St. Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 28, 1994.
CU had 19 of these within the first half, setting a faculty document for assists in a half. By the point the ultimate buzzer sounded, eight totally different Buffs had assists, led by Kindyll Wetta’s seven. Jaylyn Sherrod matched Nolan’s six, whereas Frida Formann had 5.
True to the Buffs’ nature, they genuinely appeared to take pleasure in every of these 32 dimes.
“As a result of we all know we’re going to make the photographs,” ahead Quay Miller mentioned when requested why the Buffs get a lot pleasure out of assists. “And if we’re not going to make it, we all know we’re going to get the rebound.”
That was definitely the case on Friday. Miller, who had three assists, posted yet one more double-double, with 12 factors and 11 rebounds. The Buffs outrebounded the Geese 46-31 and outscored them within the paint 40-14.
Formann and Vonleh additionally had 12 factors, whereas Tameiya Sadler had 11.
Amongst all the stellar numbers, Nolan’s might need been essentially the most spectacular. The Michigan switch started to cook dinner halfway via the second quarter.
CU led simply 31-24 and Nolan had but to hit a discipline objective earlier than she drained her first of 5 3-pointers with 5:25 to play within the first half. Within the final 65 seconds of the half, she hit three 3s in a row, turning a nine-point lead into an 18-point benefit, 49-31, at intermission.
The Buffs by no means regarded again from there.
Colorado Jaylyn Sherrod passes off in opposition to Oregon in Pac-12 basketball in Boulder on Feb. 9, 2024.(Cliff Grassmick/Employees Photographer) “I used to be simply joking with JR, her son comes out and contests me throughout warmups. He wants to try this each recreation,” Nolan mentioned.
“I assumed my teammates did a very good job of discovering me.”
In fact they did. It’s as a result of the Buffs are at their greatest – and have their most enjoyable – once they’re sharing the ball. And Friday was a enjoyable recreation for the Buffs, who’ve their greatest 23-game begin to a season because the 1994-95 workforce was 21-2 at this stage.
“I do know what this workforce is able to, so I anticipate this of us,” Miller mentioned. “We’re having a whole lot of enjoyable. Clearly profitable is enjoyable at all times. As a result of we’re taking part in such good basketball, everybody is nice.”
No. 4 Colorado 90, Oregon 57
OREGON (11-13, 2-9 Pac-12)
Basham 0-2 0-0 0, Grey 3-13 2-2 10, P. Williams 2-3 0-0 6, Kyei 4-10 3-4 11, VanSlooten 6-15 4-5 16, Chamberlin 4-9 1-2 13, Wagner 0-2 0-2 0, Ok. Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Tilliander 0-0 0-0 0, Hamel 0-0 0-0 0, Rambus 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 19-58 11-17 57.
COLORADO (20-3, 10-2 Pac-12)
Sherrod 2-4 1-2 6, Formann 4-9 2-2 12, Miller 5-8 1-2 12, Vonleh 6-10 0-0 12, Nolan 6-11 2-2 19, Atchison 0-0 1-2 1, Sadler 5-7 0-0 11, Smith 1-5 0-0 2, Wetta 3-6 0-0 6, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 2-2 0-2 5, McLeod 0-1 0-0 0, Gerber 0-1 0-0 0, Whittaker 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 36-67 7-12 90.
Oregon 16 15 14 12 – 57
Colorado 22 27 29 12 – 90
3-point targets – Oregon 8-16 (Chamberlin 4-7, Grey 2-4, P. Williams 2-2, Wagner 0-2, VanSlooten 0-1), Colorado 11-24 (Nolan 5-9, Formann 2-6, Miller 1-2, Sadler 1-2, Sherrod 1-1, Johnson 1-1, Vonleh 0-1, Wetta 0-1, Gerber 0-1). Rebounds – Oregon 30 (Kyei 8), Colorado 46 (Miller 11). Assists – Oregon 11 (VanSlooten 3), Colorado 32 (Wetta 7). Steals – Oregon 5 (Chamberlin 2), Colorado 9 (Sherrod, Smith 2). Turnovers – Oregon 12, Colorado 8. Whole fouls – Oregon 9, Colorado 14. Fouled out – None. Attendance – 5,447.
