Colorado flies by Oregon to open Pac-12 tournament 79-30

Buffs were no match for the Ducks in Las Vegas

CU Buffs

Colorado had no issues with Oregon on the way to a 79-30 victory in the opening round of the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball tournament on Wednesday. 

The Buffs (22-8) had eleven players with points on the box score, including a game-high 18 points from Frida Formann. She was one of three CU players in double-figures, along with 11 points from Tameiya Sadler and 10 from Quay Miller. 

Oregon (11-21) came into the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas sporting 'Fighting Ducks' jersey. It seems they left their tenacious traits in Eugene. The Ducks had no player in double-figures and shot an awful 10-for-53 (18%) from the field. Much worse from behind the arc with one make on thirteen attempts. It was the lowest scoring game for Oregon since 1976.

Moving on ⏩️#GoBuffs / #Pac12WBB pic.twitter.com/c2CUq63Uu4

— Colorado Women's Basketball 🦬 (@CUBuffsWBB) March 6, 2024

JR Payne's team got the bounce back they needed after losing five of the final six games to end the regular season. They shot 33-for-69 from the field, including 50% (9-for-18) from three-point range. Not bad considering the Buffs gathered 53 rebounds to along with 40 points in the paint. 

Colorado never trailed in the game and led by double-digits mid-way through the first quarter and beyond. This was the warm-up before facing Oregon State, who swept CU in the regular season. Colorado remains one of the most dangerous teams in the Pac-12 tourney after being ranked as high as No. 3 eariler this year. 

The fifth seed Buffs play the fourth-seeded Beavers in the quarterfinals on Thursday.