In a spirited showdown at the Marriott Center, the Colorado women's basketball team closed their regular season with a tough 75-62 loss to BYU. Both teams entered the game with identical records, setting the stage for a competitive clash.
BYU started strong, taking an early lead, but Colorado's Jr. G Desiree Wooten kept the Buffaloes in contention with an impressive 17-point first half. Wooten's late surge in the second quarter, including six points in the final 40 seconds, narrowed BYU's lead to just two at halftime.
The Buffaloes came out firing in the third quarter, with Jr. G Zyanna Walker's three-pointer giving them a brief lead.
Colorado extended their advantage with contributions from Fr. F Logyn Greer and Sr.
F Anaëlle Dutat, forcing BYU to regroup with a timeout. However, the Cougars responded with a decisive run in the fourth quarter, pulling ahead for good.
Head coach JR Payne reflected on the game, noting, "I'm not concerned about the future, I'm just concerned about why did it happen. I think the film will be very telling.
They played harder than we did, which is rare for us. There were loose balls they beat us to."
Despite the loss, Colorado showed strengths, particularly in bench points and blocks, outscoring BYU 37-26 off the bench and leading in blocks 4-3.
Game Highlights:
- Jr. G Maeve McErlane kicked off the scoring with a three-pointer, but BYU quickly answered with an 8-0 run.
- Wooten tied the game at 10-10 with a three-pointer, and her efforts kept Colorado competitive throughout the first half.
- The Buffs took a lead in the third quarter, thanks to a scoring burst from Walker, Greer, and Dutat.
- BYU's final quarter surge, including a seven-point run, proved too much for Colorado to overcome.
Player Highlights:
- Desiree Wooten matched her career-high with 25 points, adding five rebounds, two steals, and two assists.
- Zyanna Walker contributed 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
- Logyn Greer impressed with 10 points and eight rebounds.
- Anaëlle Dutat set a program record for offensive rebounds in a season, finishing with 117.
As the Buffs head to Kansas City for the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament, they'll be looking to capitalize on their strengths and address areas for improvement. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ and ESPNU, with live stats available on CUBuffs.com.
Colorado's effort against BYU showed flashes of brilliance, and with the tournament on the horizon, they'll be eager to build on those moments and make a strong postseason run.