Vonleh scores 19, No. 5 Colorado races past California 76-61 for 8th straight win
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Aaronette Vonleh scored 19 points, including her first 3-pointer of the season, and No. 5 Colorado won its eighth straight by holding off California 76-61 on Friday night.
Quay Miller added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Colorado (14-1, 4-0 Pac-12) and Frida Formann scored all 14 of her points in the second half to help the Buffaloes break open a tight game. Colorado led by 20 points in the fourth quarter.
The Buffaloes used a strong inside game led by Vonleh and Miller to wear down the Bears (12-4, 2-2). Colorado also had an 18-9 advantage in fastbreak points.
Marta Suarez scored 14 points for a surprising California team that was picked to finish 11th in the preseason Pac-12 media poll. Ioanna Krimili had 11 points, below the graduate transfer’s 16.5-point average this season.
Colorado moved to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1994-95 when the team finished league play 14-0 as members of the Big Eight.
The Buffaloes guarded against looking ahead to Sunday’s showdown with No. 8 Stanford. That game will mark the first top-10 matchup at CU Events Center since eighth-ranked Colorado knocked off No. 7 Purdue on Dec. 3, 1995.
It could be a milestone moment for Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer, who enters the contest with 1,201 wins after Stanford beat Utah 66-64 on Friday night. VanDerveer has a chance to tie Mike Krzyzewski (1,202) as the all-time winningest coach, men’s or women’s, in the history of college basketball.
California had a rough opening half, shooting 35.7% and turning the ball over 11 times, but kept it an eight-point game thanks to five 3-pointers.
BIG PICTURE
California: The last time the Bears knocked off a top-five team on the road was Jan. 13, 2013, when No. 7 Cal beat fifth-ranked Stanford 67-55.
Colorado: Of the team’s 14 wins this season, 13 have been decided by 10 or more points.
UP NEXT
California: At No. 19 Utah on Sunday.
Colorado: A big crowd is expected when the Buffaloes host Stanford on Sunday.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball