Buffs back on practice court
Communication at the top of priority list
Players and coaches on the Colorado women’s basketball team would have obviously preferred an extended stay in Las Vegas last week.
The silver lining to last Thursday’s double-overtime loss to Oregon State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, though, was extra rest. And, if there’s anything the 18th-ranked Buffaloes needed, it was rest.
“It was definitely much needed,” CU junior Aaronette Vonleh said. “I think it just is nice to get time to really do nothing, and not really worry about basketball for a little bit. So I think it’ll be helpful.”
Colorado (22-9) returned to practice on Tuesday after four days off the court and away from each other to do some conditioning and shooting.
A year ago, the Buffs had 15 days in between their last game of the Pac-12 tournament and their first game of the NCAA Tournament. It was time well spent, mixing rest with self-reflection and a return to basics. The Buffs responded by playing their best basketball of the season in making a run to the Sweet 16.
CU head coach JR Payne is hoping the Buffs can duplicate the formula.
With no games this week and without knowing the next opponent until Sunday’s NCAA Tournament selection show, rest and self-correction will be priorities.
“Not everyone gets this opportunity,” Payne said. “Being able to be very intentional about some areas that we can actually improve (is important). There are some things you’re not really going to improve in four days of practice and when you start scouting for your next opponent. But there are some things that we can get better.”
Although there are plenty of projections about who and where the Buffs could play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Payne and her staff aren’t even looking at other teams yet.
“It’s 100% us (this week),” she said. “I think we’re really good at scouts. And we’re really good at turning them around pretty quickly, mostly because of our attention to detail and our ability to work long hours.”
The staff did spend time trying to figure out if there are any types of schemes they haven’t seen this year and they believe
they’re ready.
“I feel like our schedule has been really diverse and we’ve played as good a schedule as anyone as far as a variety and top-10 teams and top-20 teams and all that,” Payne said. “I feel like we’re prepared for anything. We just need to tighten up execution and communication.”
The Buffs went 2-6 down the stretch, and although all the games were close and against good teams, each game was decided by little things the Buffs didn’t do well.
Communication is at the top of the priority list this week. Too many times in close games the Buffs didn’t execute the scouting report in a crucial moment, or had four players on the court knowing the play and one not knowing it.
“It ends up costing us,” Payne said. “We’re making sure we’re able to practice late-game situations and times and allowing the team to really grow in their communication of that.”
Vonleh said execution and rebounding are key points this week, but agreed that communication is a priority.
“I think we play better together when we’re all in a good rhythm, in sync,” she said.
The staff is also looking to simplify the game plan going forward.
“Rather than being average at 25 things, let’s be really, really good at 12 things,” she said.
Perhaps most important, though, was the rest. Payne said it’s felt like a really long season and the players have felt the fatigue.
“When you’re this many months deep in the season, honestly having time off isn’t necessarily for your bodies, it’s for your mind,” guard Sara-rose Smith said. “And I think having these past four days after we got back from Vegas has literally just been able to reset and … let’s just focus on the new season.”