OKLAHOMA CITY - Jackie McFarland lists Derby, Kan., as her hometown, but Tuesday afternoon, the Cox Convention Center apparently felt like home. It might have sounded like it, too.

With her mother, an Oklahoma City native, and about 15 other area relatives and friends watching and reacting - noisily at times - the indefatigable McFarland pushed, passed and prodded the University of Colorado women's basketball team past Texas Tech 71-67 in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

McFarland, a 6-foot-3 junior whose low-post proficiency is matched in the classroom, set a Big 12 first-round record with 32 points as CU won its first postseason game since 2003 and its first under second-year coach Kathy McConnell-Miller.

"I was really, really excited to be here in the tournament," McFarland said after her 40 nonstop minutes. "I have a lot of friends and family in Oklahoma City and I didn't want it to end."

It won't, at least not until the eighth-seeded Buffaloes (13-16) play once more. They play top- seeded Texas A&M (23-5) at 11 a.m. MST today (FSN Rocky Mountain).

In their regular-season meeting Jan. 18 in College Station, Texas, the Aggies battered the Buffs 78-54. But McFarland, whose 12 rebounds Tuesday contributed to her 17th double-double this season and 36th of her career, said she and her teammates "believe we're better than that. There's always the chance of an emotional up and down (after the first-round win), but we've said A&M is a team we'd love to play again."

If CU can get similar productivity today out of McFarland and forward Jasmina Ilic (19 points) while curtailing its turnovers (25, resulting in 29 Raiders points), Texas A&M could encounter more of a challenge than it did from the Buffs in January.

McConnell-Miller said CU must solve Texas A&M's pressure defense and rebounding advantage, particularly on the offensive boards.

"They're going to hit one of three (field goals); if we limit them to one and done, we have a better chance," she said. "Their second opportunities because of offensive boards is key."

Against Texas Tech, which had its first losing record (15-16) since 1981, the Buffs won the board battle 41-32 and outshot the Red Raiders 46.3 percent to 40 percent from the floor. Texas Tech had five players in double figures, but only one - 6-6 center Patrice Edwards, who made 6-of-7 shots - hit more than half of her field-goal attempts.

Had it not been for a worse- than-sloppy start (four turnovers in its first five possessions, 15 in the first half), CU might not have needed McFarland's second-half heroics.

But when the Buffs called late, she answered unwaveringly.

McFarland, honored last week as first team all-conference and a second-team academic All-American, made 11-of-12 free throws in the final 9:41 and scored nine of CU's final 14 points.

McFarland and Ilic, who scored 11 of CU's first 13 second-half points, combined to made 16-of-29 shots for 51 points; their teammates were 9-of-23 for 20.

The last of McFarland's four assists was a pass thrown over two defenders to freshman point guard Whitney Houston, whose layup broke a 67-67 tie with 36 seconds left.

About 34 seconds later, with McFarland about to conclude her 40th minute on the court, the last two of her 14 free throws cemented CU's victory.

"She did a great job . . . especially from the free-throw line," Texas Tech coach Kristy Curry said. "Wish we could have kept her off the line a little bit."

McFarland's 32 points were a season high but two fewer than her career best. Her total tied a school mark in the Big 12 tournament and was the most since Tera Bjorklund scored 34 against North Carolina in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

"I'm not sure how she does it with her (slender) body," McConnell-Miller said of McFarland. "Bottom line, she does not take a play off - not in practice, not in games. . . . And I love coaching her."

TEXAS TECH (15-16) - Robertson 6-16 2-2 18, Edwards 6-7 1-2 13, Baughman 0-6 0-0 0, Murphree 5-14 0-0 10, Henderson 5-10 4-5 14, Flowers 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas 1-1 0-0 2, Myrick 3-7 4-6 10, Christian 0-4 0-0 0, Griffin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-65 11-15 67.

COLORADO (13-16) - McFarland 9-14 14-16 32, Richards 4-9 0-2 8, Houston 2-6 0-0 4, Powers 1-2 0-0 3, Ilic 7-15 2-2 19, Smith 1-3 0-0 3, Skildum 0-4 0-0 0, Rucker 1-1 0-0 2, Putnina 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-54 16-20 71.

Halftime - Tied 28-28. Three-point attempts - Texas Tech 4-20 (Robertson 4-7, Henderson 0-2, Christian 0-3, Murphree 0-3, Baughman 0-5), Colorado 5-9 (Ilic 3-5, Powers 1-2, Smith 1-2). Fouled out - Edwards, Richards. Rebounds - Texas Tech 32 (Robertson 10), Colorado 41 (McFarland 12). Assists - Texas Tech 10 (Murphree 4), Colorado 16 (Richards 5). Total fouls - Texas Tech 21, Colorado 18. A - NA.

brooksb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5466 Colorado 71, Texas Tech 67

Back to Top