Fast break
Why the Buffs lost: While the CU defense was good most of the night, the offense struggled from the jump. The Buffs’ field goal percentage of .284 (19-of-67) was their lowest in nearly three years, while multiple offensive fouls contributed to 19 turnovers.
Three stars:
1. Baylor’s Yuting Deng: Wasn’t the best player on the floor, but scored all 13 of her points in a game-changing stretch of 4 minutes, 36 second in the second half.
2. CU’s Zyanna Walker: Scored a game-high 16 points, while also posting four rebounds and two steals.
3. Baylor’s Darianna Littlepage-Buggs: Posted another double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) and hit a couple of big shots in the fourth quarter.
Up next: CU continues its road trip by visiting Oklahoma State on Sunday (12 p.m., ESPN+).
Colorado’s Desiree Wooten, right, puts up a layup against Baylor’s Kyla Abraham, during a women’s basketball game at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2026. (CU Athletics)WACO, Texas – The Colorado women’s basketball team did almost everything it needed in order to pull off an upset in Baylor’s home gym on Thursday night.
Missed opportunities on offense proved costly, however, as the Buffaloes fell to the 16th-ranked Bears, 56-52, at Foster Pavilion.
Zyanna Walker scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Buffs, who were strong on defense all night, but they finished with a .284 shooting percentage (19 of 67) that was the worst by a CU team since a loss at Arizona on Feb. 19, 2023.
“Similar to what I said in our Cincinnati game (on Saturday); man, that was like a heavyweight fight,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “I thought two very good teams, very good defensive teams, very good rebounding teams went toe-to-toe tonight. … (Shooting) 28% from the floor isn’t going to be successful very often, but the fact that we just played so hard and defended and all the other things gave us a chance to win. So I’m really proud of how we played tonight.”
On the road against one of the top teams in the country, the Buffs (11-5, 2-2 Big 12) never trailed by more than eight and gave themselves a chance to win in the final moments.
After Baylor took its big lead, 54-46, with 2 minutes, 25 seconds to play, Desiree Wooten hit a 3-pointer to spark a 6-0 surge that pulled the Buffs within two in the closing seconds. Baylor’s Bella Fontleory then put the game away with a pair of free throws with 2.3 seconds to go.
It was a defensive battle much of the night, as the teams went into halftime tied 23-23. Both teams had their lowest scoring quarter of the season in the second quarter. CU outscored the Bears just 7-5 in that frame.
The Buffs then started the third quarter strong and took its biggest lead, 31-27 with 2:40 left in the quarter. At that point, Baylor had just four points in the quarter, but sophomore Yuting Deng changed the game when she got hot late in the quarter.
Deng scored eight points in the last 2:25 of the third, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bears a 39-35 lead. She hit another 3 to open the fourth to stretch the lead to 42-35. Deng led Baylor with 13 points, all of them in 4-minute, 36-second stretch of the second half that gave the Bears the lead for good.
The Buffs never wilted, though. They remained strong on the glass all night, out-rebounding the Bears 48-40. That included 22 offensive rebounds and holding Baylor to just three offensive boards in the second half. CU scored seven second-chance points in the fourth to give themselves a chance in crunch time.
“I thought collectively the team was aggressive on the glass,” Payne said. “With Baylor being such a good defensive team, we knew we were going to need those second-chance opportunities. I think the team just bought into that and that’s all heart, because we’re pretty long, but we’re not bigger than Baylor at every position, certainly.”
Ultimately, however, it was the missed opportunities that cost the Buffs. They opened the game 1-for-12 from the floor, made just 2 of their last 14 shots and finished just 12-of-20 from the free throw line.
“Super frustrating,” Payne said. “Our players, they’re proud of how they played, but they’re pretty devastated just at the missed opportunities. So many layups. It’s one thing to miss a contested 3, but it’s another thing to turn on the film and just feel, man, we were right at the rim or the free throw line, whatever.
“But, that’s why you play the game. I always say a loss is not the end of the world, but as long as you learn from it, as long as you see those opportunities and be better next time out, it’s all good.”
Notable
Walker battled the flu early in the week, but finished with four rebounds and two steals to go along with her 16 points. “Zy is a fighter, and I would rock with her all day, every day, just because she’s tough, she’s fearless, she takes ownership of what she’s doing and what the team is doing,” Payne said. “Zy is my girl. I love her.” … CU’s 22 offensive rebounds were its most since posting 23 against Alcorn State on Dec. 16, 2022. … Baylor’s Fontleroy and Kiersten Johnson each blocked five CU shots. … Baylor was 2-of-20 on 3-pointers before Deng hit three in a row in the second half.
No. 16 Baylor 56, Colorado 52
COLORADO (11-5, 2-2 Big 12)
Walker 5-13 6-9 16, Greer 1-4 3-4 5, McErlane 1-5 0-0 2, Masogayo 2-8 1-2 5, Dutat 4-9 1-2 9, Gooden 0-6 0-0 0, Wooten 5-20 1-3 13, Crook 1-2 0-0 2, Betson 0-0 0-0 0, Zadel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-67 12-20 52.
BAYLOR (14-3, 3-1 Big 12)
Scott 4-15 1-2 11, K. Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Van Gytenbeek 1-10 1-2 3, Littlepage-Buggs 4-5 2-2 10, Fontleroy 3-7 4-4 11, Brow 0-0 0-0 0, Deng 4-10 2-2 13, Abraham 3-5 0-2 6, M. Johnson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 10-14 56.
Colorado 16 7 12 17 – 52
Baylor 18 5 16 17 – 56
3-point goals – Colorado 2-16 (Wooten 2-7, Dutat 0-3, Walker 0-2, Gooden 0-2, Greer 0-1, McErlane 0-1), Baylor 6-26 (Deng 3-7, Scott 2-9, Fontleroy 1-5, Van Gytenbeek 0-5). Rebounds – Colorado 48 (Dutat 12), Baylor 40 (Littlepage-Buggs 12). Assists – Colorado 10 (Dutat, Zadel 2), Baylor 13 (Van Gytenbeek 7). Steals – Colorado 10 (Walker, Dutat 2), Baylor 5 (Van Gytenbeek 2). Turnovers – Colorado 19, Baylor 21. Total fouls – Colorado 21, Baylor 22. Fouled out – Scott, Van Gytenbeek. Attendance – 3,172.
Hence then, the article about cu buffs battle fall short at no 16 baylor was published today ( ) and is available on The Denver Post ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( CU Buffs battle, fall short at No. 16 Baylor )
Also on site :
- Several Denver-area gas stations pumped contaminated fuel this week, King Soopers warns
- Man police shot in Brooklyn hospital was former NYPD officer, police said
- Parker Waichman LLP Files Lawsuit on behalf of Chicago Resident in the Paragard MDL Alleging Injuries Caused by Breakage of the Copper IUD