JimBob
02-02-2008, 07:12 AM
Buffs' top scorer is focus
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/2/2008
Cowgirls hope to keep McFarland's contribution to a minimum tonight.
Kurt Budke stopped short of calling Saturday's game at Colorado a must- win.
But if Oklahoma State (16-3 overall, 4-2 Big 12) entertains ideas of staying near the top of the Big 12 standings, this is a game it needs to put in the win column.
It won't be easy.
Colorado (13-7, 2-5) has one of the top big players in the league, if not the country, in preseason Big 12 first-teamer Jackie McFarland.
At 6-foot-3, the senior post player has the height to compete against the best big players in the conference, yet she's athletic enough to bounce out and cover a guard.
Then there's the offensive end.
McFarland ranks second in the league in scoring (18.8 points per game) behind OSU's Andrea Riley (22.8). A workhorse, McFarland is averaging more than 35 minutes per contest.
"I haven't seen too many people stop her one-on-one," Budke said.
Freshman Brittany Spears is also turning heads in Boulder.
Through 20 games this season, Spears is among the Big 12 freshman leaders in scoring (13.3), rebounding (7.1) and blocks (1.7).
"She's been really good," Budke said. "When (Colorado) struggles offensively, it is usually when Spears struggles. You know Jackie will get her numbers."
At one point, the Buffaloes had an 11-game win streak -- including a conference-opening win over Missouri. But since, Colorado has won just one of six games and, like OSU, brings a two-game losing skid into the contest.
"They have a couple of great wins against Vanderbilt and Wyoming," Budke said. "There's no question they've turned the corner in rebuilding that program. But the Big 12 has a way of bringing you back to reality really quick. It does that to everyone."
Including the Cowgirls, who got off to a 16-1 start with wins over league preseason favorites Texas A&M and Oklahoma before losing two straight.
Riley has put up some huge numbers, scoring 45 against Oklahoma, 29 against Texas A&M, and 34 points against Kansas State.
But in the recent losses to Texas and K-State, Riley has not had much help from her teammates.
"We can't have her putting up 34 shots like she did against K-State," Budke said. "That's not what we want from our point guard and that's not what she wants. Every game we have to continue to get scoring from other players.
"We haven't had very many nights where we haven't had other players scoring but it has happened."
So what about the strategy to let Riley get her points and try to limit the damage with everyone else?
"When it's a point guard, that is a dangerous strategy," Budke said. "She can create so much offense for herself and her teammates."
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/2/2008
Cowgirls hope to keep McFarland's contribution to a minimum tonight.
Kurt Budke stopped short of calling Saturday's game at Colorado a must- win.
But if Oklahoma State (16-3 overall, 4-2 Big 12) entertains ideas of staying near the top of the Big 12 standings, this is a game it needs to put in the win column.
It won't be easy.
Colorado (13-7, 2-5) has one of the top big players in the league, if not the country, in preseason Big 12 first-teamer Jackie McFarland.
At 6-foot-3, the senior post player has the height to compete against the best big players in the conference, yet she's athletic enough to bounce out and cover a guard.
Then there's the offensive end.
McFarland ranks second in the league in scoring (18.8 points per game) behind OSU's Andrea Riley (22.8). A workhorse, McFarland is averaging more than 35 minutes per contest.
"I haven't seen too many people stop her one-on-one," Budke said.
Freshman Brittany Spears is also turning heads in Boulder.
Through 20 games this season, Spears is among the Big 12 freshman leaders in scoring (13.3), rebounding (7.1) and blocks (1.7).
"She's been really good," Budke said. "When (Colorado) struggles offensively, it is usually when Spears struggles. You know Jackie will get her numbers."
At one point, the Buffaloes had an 11-game win streak -- including a conference-opening win over Missouri. But since, Colorado has won just one of six games and, like OSU, brings a two-game losing skid into the contest.
"They have a couple of great wins against Vanderbilt and Wyoming," Budke said. "There's no question they've turned the corner in rebuilding that program. But the Big 12 has a way of bringing you back to reality really quick. It does that to everyone."
Including the Cowgirls, who got off to a 16-1 start with wins over league preseason favorites Texas A&M and Oklahoma before losing two straight.
Riley has put up some huge numbers, scoring 45 against Oklahoma, 29 against Texas A&M, and 34 points against Kansas State.
But in the recent losses to Texas and K-State, Riley has not had much help from her teammates.
"We can't have her putting up 34 shots like she did against K-State," Budke said. "That's not what we want from our point guard and that's not what she wants. Every game we have to continue to get scoring from other players.
"We haven't had very many nights where we haven't had other players scoring but it has happened."
So what about the strategy to let Riley get her points and try to limit the damage with everyone else?
"When it's a point guard, that is a dangerous strategy," Budke said. "She can create so much offense for herself and her teammates."