The last time Colorado freshman Brittany Spears was in a scoring slump, few noticed.

Last year, while playing at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., Spears said she went through a scoring slump that lasted two or three games.

"It didn't really matter because we blew out teams so you couldn't really tell," Spears said. "My coach knew. I knew. But we were winning by 50 points so it wasn't a big deal."

However, now it is.After averaging 14.5 points per game in the first 18 games of her career, Spears has scored just four points in her last two games. She went scoreless at Iowa State on Wednesday.

The loss of Spears' scoring only makes CU's situation worse. The Buffs (13-7, 2-5) have lost five of their last six. They hope to break the spell in today's 6 p.m. home game (FSN) against a revitalized Oklahoma State team (16-3, 4-2) powered by sophomore point guard Andrea Riley, who leads the Big 12 in scoring.

"When you have a freshman like Brittany that's been so consistent up to this point ... you have to look for someone else," CU coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. "That's where our struggles have been."

Without Spears scoring, almost all of the point production is falling on the shoulders of senior forward Jackie McFarland.

At Texas Tech last week, McFarland scored 28 of CU's 44 points. She had 18 of CU's 45 points Wednesday.

McConnell-Miller hopes that if Spears can break out of her slump, it will help open up the floodgates for other Buffs in a slump -- senior Susie Powers and sophomore Bianca Smith.

McConnell-Miller said she doesn't have any other options. No one on the bench has stepped up in the scoring department.

Spears is working on breaking out of her slump. Last year she did it by staying positive and staying focused in practice.

"It's kind of tough," Spears said. "But I have to grow up fast and play through it. Just play good basketball."

McConnell-Miller, meanwhile, said she is concerned about Riley, who scored 45 points in a game against Oklahoma this season.

But Riley is not McConnell-Miller's biggest worry about today's game.

"Our biggest concern right now is scoring," McConnell-Miller said.

Notable

Freshman guard Britney Blythe is doubtful for today's game. She did not practice with the team on Friday. She missed Wednesday's game, too, after running into teammate Kara Richards in practice on Monday and suffering a concussion. ... Chicago Sky coach Bo Overton of the WNBA is expected to attend today's game to scout McFarland.