WATCH: Colorado moves to 4-0 on the season with a win over the SMU Mustangs.
(Video by BuffsTV/YouTube)
DALLAS, Texas– Fresh off their historic leap from No. 20 to No. 5 in the national rankings, the Colorado women's basketball team continues to impress. On Saturday night, they defeated the Southern Methodist University Mustangs on the road, 84-69.
CU moves to 4-0 on the season, while SMU suffered their first loss, falling to 3-1.
The Buffs' starters were once again the biggest key to victory, as junior center Aaronette Vonleh led the squad with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Forward Quay Miller also lit up the stat sheet, scoring 18 and rebounding 10. She also made four three-pointers on just seven attempts. Point guard Jaylyn Sherrod added 18 points and four assists as well. Despite no other Buff scoring more than seven points, the trio's output proved too much to handle for the Mustangs.
"It truly was a battle," said head coach JR Payne following the win. "I can't think of any other word. It was a really physical, really tough game."
This physical element became abundantly clear in the first half, as the Mustangs kept the contest within arm's reach the entire way. Colorado struggled mightily from the three-point line, as Miller's four triples made up all but one of CU's makes from distance on the night (5-for-23). Usual three-point threats Frida Formann and Maddie Nolan shot a combined 1-for-7 from beyond the arc, with Nolan logging just 10 minutes of play.
However, the Buffs adjusted for these misses by nearly never missing inside the arc, shooting 15-for-20 on two-point shots in the first half (26-for-40 total) and ending with 46 points in the paint. Sherrod and Vonleh worked their way to the rim on nearly every successful possession, with backup guard Kindyll Wetta also aiding CU's attack with a team-leading five assists.
Colorado built an eight-point cushion going into the second half, and that lead would hold thanks in part to a trifecta of Miller threes in the third quarter. Formann also made up for her lack of offensive production with three blocked shots on the night, two of which came in the second half.
Despite some streaky Mustang shooting, including a career-high 30 points from graduate guard Tiara Young, CU controlled and responded to SMU in every quarter of play. Sherrod and Vonleh added eight more points in the closing period to help the Buffs pull away.
"I think part of [our success] is just great connectivity with our team," Payne added. "We really trust each other and that's really important when you're in tough games on the road."
Some milestones were reached on Saturday by the Buffs. Guard Tameiya Sadler scored the 500th point of her career, while Jaylyn Sherrod dished out her 500th assist.
Sherrod also collided with a hard screen late in the contest and had to be helped off the court. She will be okay though, per coach Payne. Her energy and toughness have been a massive reason for the black and gold's resounding start.
With the win, Colorado improved to 67-7 in regular season non-conference games in the JR Payne era. The win may also keep CU in line for another boost in the next AP Poll set to release on Monday, as No. 2 Iowa and No. 4 Utah suffered upsets earlier this week.
The Buffs now begin their three-game set at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Classic against another array of non-conference opponents. The first of these contests is on Thursday against the Cincinnati Bearcats, with tip-off set for 11 a.m. MST.
Cover photo by University of Colorado Athletics
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