UCR's Comeback Falls Short In WNIT First Round At Colorado, 71-62

Thursday, March 17

Boulder, CO

6:00 PM

UC Riverside

19-13

Colorado

16-15

Team	1	2	F
UC Riverside	24	38	62
Colorado	30	41	71

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

UCR's Comeback Falls Short In WNIT First Round At Colorado, 71-62

3/17/2011 5:27:42 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score - Colorado 71, UC Riverside 62

Boulder, CO - The UC Riverside women's basketball team erased a 19-point second half deficit and the cut the lead to two late in the game, but could not complete the comeback falling 71-62 at Colorado in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday evening at Coors Events Center.

The Highlanders conclude the season with a 19-13 overall record, while Colorado improves to 16-15 and will move on to the second round of the WNIT.

UC Riverside was down 48-29 with just over five minutes gone by in the second half as the Buffs hit 6 of 9 from the field while limiting the Highlanders to just 2-11.

After two CU free throws, Brittany Waddell scored five straight and Alyssa Morris added two free throws as UC Riverside cut the lead to 48-36 with 12:28 to go.

A Rheya Neabors three-pointer at the 9:03 mark cut the Buffaloes lead to just three possessions, 54-45, and a Morris layup and Rhaya Neabors jumper sandwiched around a CU jumper made it a seven point game, 56-49 with just under seven minutes to play.

A Tre'Shonti Nottingham long ball at the 5:11 mark made it a 58-54 game, and two free throws by Morris cut the lead to two, 58-56. After trading layups, CU scored seven straight to go back up by nine, 67-58, and held on for the 71-62 victory.

Morris led the Highlanders with 12 points while Rheya Neabors and Waddell added 10 apeice. Chucky Jeffery led all players with 19 points for Colorado while Brittany Spears had 18.

In the first half, Colorado hit just one of its first 15 shots but was able to convert from the free throw line as the lead went back and forth in the first few minutes of the game.

The Highlanders were up 13-10 after a jumper by Brittany Palmer and a Nicole Anderson layup, but the team missed their next three shots as the Buffaloes scored seven straight to take a 17-13 lead at the 9:08 mark.

CU's lead went as high as five, but UCR cut it to one, 25-24, following a Natasha Hadley jumper and two Nottingham free throws with 1:52 left in the half. The Buffaloes concluded the half with back-to-back buckets taking a 30-24 lead into the break.

The Highlanders were very balanced offensively as nine of the 10 players who saw action on the court scored at least two points. Rhaya Neabors led UCR with six at halftime while Spears had nine for Colorado.

The Buffs shot 44 percent from the field for the game while limiting UCR to 34.5 percent. CU hit 40 percent of hits three-pointers while the Highlanders were just 6 of 23. Colorado also owned the glass outrebounding UCR 49-29.