If Colorado's season would have ended on March 11, Jackie McFarland would have been very disappointed with the way her brilliant individual collegiate career finished.

But that date -- when the Buffs were blown out by Iowa State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City -- seems like a basketball lifetime ago to the senior forward thanks to the WNIT.

McFarland, who averaged 27.7 points in CU's three postseason victories, was held to 17 points during CU's 86-72 loss to Marquette in the semifinals.

She was still satisfied to walk off the court at the Coors Events Center for the final time ... in April.

"I couldn't imagine a better way of going out, other than cutting the nets down in the finals," McFarland said. "It has been really special. The last three games with the fan support and the community rallying around our team has been amazing. It has been a while since I've had this much fun playing basketball."

McFarland finishes second on the program's scoring list with 1,957 career points. She racked up 100 of them in the WNIT.

"I'm still going to keep trying to play," McFarland said. "But playing in the Big 12, in Division I and at CU is a special experience that is unrivaled."

McFarland was 37-for-40 (92.5 percent) at the line in the WNIT and had more made free throws (586) than anyone in program history. She scored in double figures 102 times in her career. And she finished second at CU in rebounds (1,049), third in field goals made (671) and fourth in blocked shots (138).

The Buffs also say goodbye to senior point guard Susie Powers, who did not score in her final game.

"Some of my favorite memories will be from this tournament," Powers said. "This wasn't the way I wanted it to end ... but there hasn't been a Colorado team to play in the Coors Events Center in April, and we did. So that is pretty special."

CU head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller will need several players -- Brittany Spears, Aija Putnina and Kara Richards among them -- to replace McFarland. Whitney Houston will be the team's starting point guard next season.

"The Coors Events Center door will always be open to them," McConnell-Miller said of her two seniors. "This will always be their team and they'll always have a place to come home to."

Notable

Bianca Smith was 3-for-5 from behind the arc and set a CU record for most made 3-pointers in a season with 80. Kate Fagan held the record with 79 during the 2003-04 season. ... CU turned the ball over 14 times on its first 19 possessions. Marquette scored 17 points off turnovers before the Buffs scored off a turnover. ... The 45 points scored by the Golden Eagles in the first half was the most CU allowed in a half this season.

Quotable

"Although they may not know it right now, they'll know it down the road. And they'll draw from that experience," McConnell-Miller on what reaching the WNIT's Final Four will mean for the returning players.