After a difficult week, the Colorado women’s basketball team was due for some positive energy and results.

The Buffaloes got it on Saturday night in an 83-60 rout of Houston at the CU Events Center, although it came from an unlikely cast of characters.

Freshmen Grace Oliver (16 points, 14 rebounds) and Erin Powell (11 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles, redshirt freshman Kennedy Sanders scored 18 points and sophomore Ayianna Johnson scored 20 points to lead the Buffs, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Four starters — Frida Formann (foot), Sara-Rose Smith (foot), Kindyll Wetta (concussion) and Jade Masogayo (undisclosed injury) — were out, but the aforementioned foursome each had career highs in points.

“I am so proud of our team,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “Man, a lot of teams are going through it this time of year, but we are really going through it — like a lot of injuries, unexpected things. We talked a lot about, you just got to do a little bit more, and I think there were several people that did a lot bit more tonight. I’m sure there’s a lot of career highs in the box score, which is really exciting, but just overall fantastic team effort and team win. I’m just beyond proud of this group.”

Prior to Saturday, no CU freshman had posted a double-double since Jaylyn Sherrod against Utah on Jan. 17, 2020. It’s unclear if CU’s ever had two freshmen do it in the same game.

“I think it’s been a big thing with a lot of people getting out,” Oliver said. “Jade, we just found out that she wasn’t playing today, and I think we all know that we had to step up. And (assistant coach Matt Hower) always says, ‘Just give a little bit more.’ I think we’ve really been living and dying by that recently. And I think today we really did shine with that.”

Oliver has been a key part of the rotation all year, but her previous highs were nine points and nine rebounds. Powell notched 72 minutes, 11 points and 10 rebounds all season before recording her double-double in 20 minutes.

Sanders and Johnson both came off the bench to lead the Buffs in scoring.

“It was good,” Sanders said. “We all pushed the ball really well, so it was good to just see us as a whole, and I like to play fast, so it was more comfortable for me to play today.”

After blowout losses on the road to Iowa State and Utah in the past week, CU needed this one. Last-place Houston is down to six healthy players and lost its eighth straight, and the Buffs took full advantage.

The Buffs out-shot Houston, 48.5% to 37.9%; out-rebounded the Cougars 48-24; outscored them in the paint 50-18; and ran them out of the gym after a slow start.

Houston led 15-9 early, but CU closed the first quarter on a 12-0 run and then led by 19 at halftime before cruising through the second half.

“Everyone just stayed very ready and came in and nobody tried to be Frida or be Jade,” Payne said. “They just came in and did their job, and did it really, really well.”

Notable

Prior to Saturday, CU had two double-doubles all season, one by Smith and one by Masogayo. … Seniors Johanna Teder (six points, four rebounds) and Lior Garzon (six points, four rebounds) set the tone early, with each hitting two 3-pointers to help CU to its big first-half lead. … CU’s plus-24 rebounding margin was its best since finishing plus-26 against Oregon in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament on March 6, 2024. … CU’s bench players outscored Houston’s bench 49-2. … Sanders’ previous high in points was eight, while Johnson’s previous high was 19, while playing for Minnesota last year. Johnson’s previous season high was 15.