CU-Rice Recap/Box

[unkiemark]

Rice traveled to Boulder to meet Colorado for the season opener for both teams Friday night. In the days leading up to the game in Colorado head coach Ceal Barry stated that Rice would be a tough matchup for the Buffs to begin the season with, and she wished they had several more games prior to meeting them. For the first half her fears were realized. Rice took advantage of Buffs turnovers and shot 64.3% from the field for a 40-39 halftime lead.

The second half was a different story -- for both teams. Colorado came out the aggressor and went on a 24-6 run to effectively put the game out of reach. They went on to outscore the Owls by 20 in the half for a 85-66 win. What was the difference? Colorado played defense, took better care of the ball and appeared to be better conditioned. They hit the boards hard and were getting loose balls. This resulted in Rice being held to 26 points while hitting only 32.5% from the floor.

Rice came into the game off of a 21-9 season and a WNIT appearance while the Buffs made it to the Elite Eight last season. Prior to this season Rice was picked to finish second in the WAC and the Buffs fifth in the Big 12.

Colorado hosts Detroit Mercy at noon Sunday while Rice continues their road trip at Nebraska.

Four of Colorado’s starters scored in double figures led by junior post Tera Bjorklund with 21, she also had 10 rebounds. Other starters hitting double figures were junior guard Kate Fagan with a career high 17, sophomore guard Syreeta Stafford with 12 and senior forward Linda Lappe with 11. Senior forward Sabrina Scott came off the bench to score 16.

Ceal Barry played musical chairs at the point with sophomore Syreeta Stafford starting and getting 22 minutes, sophomore Veronica Johns-Richardson 15 minutes and juco transfer Maria Billingsley 11 minutes. All played in the first half as Stafford struggled with turnovers and Barry seamed to be searching for a player who would play with composure at both ends.

Colorado 85, Rice 66

Official Basketball Box Score
Rice vs Colorado
11/22/02 5:45 p.m. at Boulder, Colo. (Coors Events Center)

VISITORS: Rice 0-1
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* TOT-FGÂ* 3-PTÂ*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* REBOUNDS
## Player NameÂ*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PFÂ* TPÂ* A TO BLK S MIN
32 James, Starla....... fÂ* 2-6Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-2Â*Â*Â* 2Â* 2Â* 4Â*Â* 3Â*Â* 4Â* 0Â* 1Â* 1Â* 0Â* 23
33 Inman, Elisa........ fÂ* 5-6Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-1Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 2Â* 2Â*Â* 5Â* 10Â* 2Â* 0Â* 1Â* 0Â* 22
34 Hayes, Johnetta..... cÂ* 4-11Â*Â* 1-2Â*Â*Â* 5-6Â*Â*Â* 3Â* 4Â* 7Â* Â*3Â* 14Â* 0Â* 2Â* 2Â* 1Â* 27
15 Maynard, Lindsey.... gÂ* 0-7Â*Â*Â* 0-3Â*Â*Â* 2-2Â*Â*Â* 1Â* 1Â* 2Â*Â* 1Â*Â* 2Â* 3Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â* 28
21 Lawson, Kim......... gÂ* 2-9Â*Â*Â* 1-3Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 2Â* 2Â*Â* 2Â*Â* 5Â* 5Â* 3Â* 0Â* 4Â* 33
04 Peck, Anne..........Â*Â*Â* 5-10Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 2Â* 1Â* 3Â*Â* 3Â* 10Â* 2Â* 2Â* 0 Â*1Â* 23
14 Beckler, Kate.......Â*Â*Â* 4-7Â*Â*Â* 3-4Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 2Â* 11Â* 5Â* 1Â* 0Â* 0Â* 17
23 Jeffries, Rosyland..Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 1Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 6
24 Liggett, Kara.......Â*Â*Â* 2-3Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â*Â* 4Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 6
42 Cunningham, Amber...Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 2-2Â*Â*Â* 1Â* 1Â* 2Â*Â* 0Â*Â* 2Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 7
44 Florus, Aarika......Â*Â*Â* 2-3Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 1Â* 1Â* 2Â*Â* 2Â*Â* 4Â* 1Â* 4Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 8
Â*Â* TEAM................Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* 1Â*Â*Â*Â* 1Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* 1
Â*Â* Totals..............Â*Â* 26-62Â*Â* 5-12Â*Â* 9-13Â* 11 14 25Â* 21Â* 66 18 15Â* 4Â* 6 200
Â*
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 18-28 64.3%Â*Â* 2nd Half:Â* 8-34 23.5%Â*Â* Game: 41.9%Â* DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:Â* 4-5Â* 80.0%Â*Â* 2nd Half:Â* 1-7Â* 14.3%Â*Â* Game: 41.7%Â*Â* REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:Â* 0-1Â*Â* 0.0%Â*Â* 2nd Half:Â* 9-12 75.0% Â*Â*Game: 69.2%Â*Â*Â* 2
Â*
HOME TEAM: Colorado 1-0
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* TOT-FGÂ* 3-PTÂ*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* REBOUNDS
## Player NameÂ*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PFÂ* TPÂ* A TO BLK S MIN
13 Lappe, Linda........ fÂ* 4-6Â*Â*Â* 1-1Â*Â*Â* 2-2Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 2Â* 2Â*Â* 2Â* 11Â* 3Â* 1Â* 0Â* 0Â* 25
54 Wirt, Randie........ fÂ* 2-4Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 3Â* 2Â* 5Â*Â* 4Â*Â* 4Â* 1Â* 2Â* 1Â* 1Â* 21
50 Bjorklund, Tera..... cÂ* 5-10Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â* 11-13Â*Â* 2Â* 8 10Â*Â* 4Â* 21Â* 1Â* 4Â* 2Â* 0Â* 33
01 Fagan, Kate......... gÂ* 5-10Â*Â* 3-7Â*Â*Â* 4-4Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 4Â* 4Â*Â* 1Â* 17Â* 3Â* 2Â* 0Â* 2Â* 36
03 Stafford, Syreeta... gÂ* 4-5Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 4-4Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 1Â* 1Â*Â* 2Â* 12Â* 3Â* 5Â* 0Â* 3Â* 22
02 Metoyer, Amber......Â*Â*Â* 1-2Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 3Â* 3Â*Â* 2Â*Â* 2Â* 0Â* 0Â* 1Â* 0Â* 10
05 Johns-Richardson, VeÂ*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 2-2Â*Â*Â* 1Â* 1Â* 2Â*Â* 1Â*Â* 2Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â* 1Â* 15
10 Billingsley, Maria..Â*Â*Â* 0-1Â*Â*Â* 0-1Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 1Â* 0Â* 0Â* 11
22 Scott, Sabrina......Â*Â*Â* 5-8Â*Â*Â* 1-1Â*Â*Â* 5-7Â*Â*Â* 2Â* 6Â* 8Â*Â* 1Â* 16Â* 3Â* 1Â* 0Â* 2Â* 26
33 Spencer, Diana......Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0-0Â*Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â*Â* 0Â* 0Â* 1Â* 0Â* 1Â*Â* 1
Â*Â* TEAM................
Â*Â* Totals..............Â*Â* 26-46Â*Â* 5-10Â* 28-32Â*Â* 8 27 35Â* 17Â* 85 14 17Â* 4 10 200
Â*
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 13-21 61.9%Â*Â* 2nd Half: 13-25 52.0%Â*Â* Game: 56.5%Â* DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:Â* 2-5Â* 40.0%Â*Â* 2nd Half:Â* 3-5Â* 60.0%Â*Â* Game: 50.0%Â*Â* REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 11-14 78.6%Â*Â* 2nd Half: 17-18 94.4%Â*Â* Game: 87.5%Â*Â*Â* 1
Â*
Officials: John Weaks, Cindy Kneep, Lorenzo Alvarez Jr.
Technical fouls: Rice-None. Colorado-None.
Attendance:
Score by PeriodsÂ*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* 1stÂ* 2ndÂ*Â* Total
Rice..........................Â*Â* 40Â*Â* 26Â* -Â*Â* 66
Colorado......................Â*Â* 39Â*Â* 46Â* -Â*Â* 85
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MarkW

[kate dawg]

That was a lot of fun. We loved Mandy, Jenny and Co., but it was so much fun to watch a brand new group do their thing. Syreeta really takes it hard to the hole and finishes well high off the glass. Veronica played some good defense and had big steals. Kate Fagan shot well, Randie Wirt rebounded well.

Tera was as expected. I don't know why they foul her...she's more automatic from the free throw line than she is on layups. Linda Lappe is returning to form...she has a ways to go, but she wasn't limping around out there like she has been for the last two years. And Sabrina Scott is really something special. I think she's going to have a big big year. she tossed a pretty back door pass to Linda on an inbounds play that really got the crowd going.

This group will have its ups and downs, but they were having a lot of fun out there in the second half and it was really fun to watch.

[Go Buffs]

Second half was much better for CU. Rice really was on fire in the first half. I thought CU really stepped up on the defensive side in the second half, which gave the more confidence on the offensive side.
I agree with Kate Dawg that Sabrina will have a big year this year. She really played well last night despite limited practice time due to her mother having brain surgery last week. I am not sure how her mother is doing, but I will try to find out her status from someone "in the know" at Sunday afternoon's game. In the meantime, everyone think good thoughts for her!

Go http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/cu.gif

[Buffsfan22]

Nice to see kate dawg acknowledge the solid D VJR played last night.

Also agree about Sabrina...she was my pick for game MVP.
BTW, I believe she didn't start cause she was in Oregon earlier in the week as her mom was having brain surgery. Haven't heard how that went, but I sure hope all went well.

Concur with the recap overall.

With the altitude, it almost seems unfair to visitors that we can bring players like Wirt and Metoyer off the bench with all that muscle, energy and fresh legs.

Great start to the season Buffs!

Careful though not to play a 1st half like this one against either Ohio State or Nova (I'm guessing OSU after the pasting they put on a reasonbly decent Duquesne team on the road last night) next weekend

[Buffsfan22]

Sorry there Go Buffs...didn't mean to repeat what you said.

Again, i sure hope all went well.

[elfdenmom]

Not to take anything away from CU because I know they have a good team and am delighted with the way they played the second half, but the altitude/fatigue advantage really is a factor. You don't get much more sea level than Houston.

[kate dawg]

BuffsFan22...I'll always give credit where credit is due. Don't worry about that my friend. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/wink.gif Veronica played good defense vs. Rice and I hope she keeps it up!