The Colorado women’s basketball team was poised for a big win Jan. 11 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, leading by four points with less than six minutes to play.
It took Oklahoma State just 2 1/2 minutes to score 10 straight points that changed the game, and the Cowgirls handed CU a 63-56 loss.
Colorado Boulder Buffaloes’ head coach JR Payne talks to the team during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at the CU Events Center in Boulder on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)That was one of several games in recent weeks that have gotten away from the Buffs, and they’ll look to get on track Sunday when Oklahoma State visits Boulder.
“I think as coaches, we’re trying to figure out the why, which is important so that you can try to attack it, instead of just hoping that it’s different the next time out,” CU head coach JR Payne said of three close losses her team has had this month.
If there’s a common theme among the losses, it’s that CU has typically had about a four- or five-minute lapse in the second half that has turned the game around.
On Jan. 8, Baylor used a 15-4 run late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to turn a four-point CU lead into a seven-point Baylor advantage, eventually beating the Buffs 56-52. OSU’s 10-point surge started a 15-2 run that turned a four-point CU lead into a nine-point OSU lead.
Last Sunday, Central Florida had a monster 20-2 run in the second quarter, but it was the Knights’ 16-4 fourth-quarter run that broke the Buffs. CU led by six with 7:25 to play in that game and lost 74-68.
“I mean, the biggest thing is being mindful of possessions,” Payne said. “We can’t have three empty possessions in a row, so maybe we need to execute a quick hit or script a possession. If we have an empty possession or two, maybe we need to script something that we believe can be successful.”
Payne said she believes some late-game fatigue has played a role, too, with some players on the court for high minutes.
“I think some of our decision making down the stretch is fatigue, and maybe lack of structure down the stretch,” she said. “So, we’re really trying to make sure that we’re being mindful of how many minutes people are playing as we’re entering the fourth quarter or even second half. Maybe managing possessions a little bit more from the bench down the stretch of the game is something else we’ve talked about. So definitely still looking at the why, and then how do we attack it.”
OSU is the first team CU will have played twice this season. In the Jan. 11 game, the Buffs’ Logyn Greer and Jade Masogayo each scored 12 points, while Anaelle Dutat had a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds), but the Cowgirls’ Stailee Heard got hot, scoring 21 points and pulling down eight rebounds.
It was also a high-turnover game, with CU having 19 and OSU 16. CU had four early in the fourth.
“We did a good job of turning each other over,” Payne said. “We turned them over, they turned us over. We really studied the film and have been preparing to make sure that we can make better decisions in taking care of the ball and feel like that’s going to be a really important determination of success for us against these guys the second time around. So we’ve been really trying to prioritize that.”
The top priority, of course, is to make sure this isn’t another one that gets away.
“Yeah, definitely. I mean we’re really disappointed and frustrated, obviously,” Payne said. “Having a single-game week couldn’t have come at a better time, when we feel like we need to really focus on us and ways that we can get better and things like that. So we’ve done that a lot this week. … I think we’ve been really smart about what we’ve been doing and have had good practices.”
CU Buffs women’s basketball vs. Oklahoma State
TIPOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. MT, CU Events Center in Boulder
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 12-7, 3-4 Big 12; Oklahoma State 16-4, 5-2 Big 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (176-123; 277-236 career). Oklahoma State — Jacie Hoyt, 4th season (76-39; 157-104 career)
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — C Jade Crook, 6-4, Fr. (4.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, .508 fg%); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (9.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.0 spg, .522 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (10.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, .500 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (10.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.3 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (11.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 spg). Oklahoma State — F Achol Akot, 6-1, Jr. (10.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, .667 fg%); G Lena Girardi, 5-11, Fr. (11.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg); G Micah Gray, 5-8, Sr. (15.1 ppg, 2.2 apg); G Stailee Heard, 5-11, Jr. (11.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.6 apg); G Haleigh Timmer, 5-11, Sr. (14.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, .537 fg%, .465 3pt%); G Amari Whiting, 5-10, Jr. (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.0 spg); G Jadyn Wooten, 5-6, So. (13.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.4 apg).
NOTES: Prior to and during the game, CU will honor former head coach Ceal Barry, the winningest coach in program history. Included will be the dedication of “Ceal Barry Plaza.” … Both teams are coming into Sunday after a week off from games. CU lost at UCF, 74-68, on Jan. 18, while OSU routed then-No. 19 Iowa State, 86-58, at home that day. … CU is 1-3 in its past four games, with all three losses coming on the road. … CU is 10-1 at home this season, while OSU is 3-2 on the road. … CU and OSU are tied 28-28 in their all-time series, with CU holding a 13-10 advantage in Boulder. … CU’s Dutat is averaging 9.43 rebounds game in conference play (third in the Big 12). … In Big 12 play, OSU’s Timmer leads the conference in 3-point percentage (.475), while Gray is first in 3-pointers made per game (2.86). … OSU is averaging a conference-best 76.7 points per game in Big 12 games, while CU is 11th at 65.9. … In her past four games, Heard has averaged 20.7 points and 9.8 rebounds, and she posted a triple-double against Iowa State. … As of Saturday, the Buffs were No. 55 in the NET rankings, while OSU was at No. 23.
Hence then, the article about colorado women s basketball aiming to fix late game woes in close contests 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 ( Colorado women’s basketball aiming to fix late-game woes in close contests )
Also on site :