Lincoln - The Nebraska women’s basketball ended its 2001-02 regular-season schedule with an 84-60 loss to No. 11 Colorado in front of 3,168 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln on Tuesday evening.

With the loss, Nebraska slipped to 14-15 on the season and 4-12 in Big 12 play to finish in 11th place in the final league standings. Colorado improved to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in league play to secure the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament next week.

Colorado scored on its first 10 possessions of the game, while racing to a 22-8 lead after a pair of Britt Hartshorn free throws with 14:13 left in the first half. Despite CU’s amazing offensive efficiency, Nebraska battled back with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 22-16 after Greichaly Cepero’s layup with 11:06 left.

The Huskers would get no closer the rest of the way, as the Buffaloes responded with an 11-0 run by scoring on five consecutive possessions to expand their lead to 33-16 with 7:56 left. CU continued to increase the lead by scoring seven straight points to close an 18-0 run on Randie Wirt’s jumper with 4:28 remaining in the first half.

Colorado continued to build the lead to 46-18 at the half and took its biggest lead at 48-19 early in the second half. CU maintained the lead at 55-26 before Nebraska’s Margaret Richards sparked a 16-6 Husker run that cut the Buffaloes’ advantage to 19 points at 61-42 with 9:21 left in the game.

During NU’s streak, Richards scored five points on a three-pointer and a pair of free throws, while snagging three steals. The junior from Louisville, Ky., finished the game with 11 points, while connecting on a trio of three-pointers for her first double-figure scoring effort of the Big 12 season. Richards finished 3-for-4 from three-point range to end a 3-for-27 slump in the first 15 games of the conference season.

Keasha Cannon led the Huskers with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Shannon Howell added 12 points and four rebounds.

Colorado’s Jenny Roulier led all scorers with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Mandy Nightingale added 16 points. Tera Bjorkland pitched in a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Eisha Bohman gave the Buffaloes four players in double figures with 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high four assists.

As a team, Colorado shot 55.8 percent (29-52) in the first half, including a blistering 67.9 percent in the first half. The Buffaloes shot 46.2 percent (6-13) from three-point range and 76.9 percent (20-26) from the free throw line. CU also outrebounded the Huskers, 40-26, while committing 15 turnovers.

The Huskers shot just 34.5 percent (19-55) from the field, including a dismal 25.9 percent (7-27) in the first half. Nebraska hit 35.7 percent (5-14) of its three-pointers, but the Huskers were 0-for-6 from long range in the first half. The Huskers did connect on 85 percent (17-20) of their free throws, while committing 17 turnovers.

Nebraska will continue its season at the Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, March 5. As the No. 11 seed, the Huskers will play the final game of the first day of tournament action at 8:30 p.m.