Uplifted by youth in December, the Colorado women's basketball team now finds itself undergoing some growing pains from key newcomers.

Whether the Buffs (12-5, 1-3) turn the corner and end a three-game losing skid will be determined today when they host Kansas (12-5, 1-3) at 7 p.m. in the Coors Events Center.

"You're going to lose sleep a couple nights, wondering what we could have done better," said CU senior Jackie McFarland of winning 11 in a row and then losing the next three. "It's something that's just going to come with time, especially with younger players on the team playing such big minutes for us."

During CU's losing streak, the Buffs have held second-half leads but failed to close out with a win.

Players see the situation as another test for the younger players, just like they were tested after losing to Siena at home in the Coors Classic.

"Being such a young team, we don't realize that it is the Big 12," junior guard Hannah Skildum said. "These teams don't quit when they're down nine or 10 points. We're learning from that."

Consider the plight of the three biggest young contributors:

Sophomore guard Bianca Smith missed all 11 shots in an 84-73 loss to Siena in November. The 3-point specialist turned it around and shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in seven games during CU's 11-game win streak.

Smith took only one shot inSaturday's 67-60 loss at Kansas State and has made 5 of her last 15 shots (33 percent) from 3-point range during the three-game losing streak.

Freshman forward Brittany Spears is putting up big numbers in the Big 12 -- averaging 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. But her shot selection wasn't at its best on Saturday as she took 19 shots in keeping CU from getting into its offense and setting up McFarland in the post.

"Everything she does right now is instinctive," Colorado coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. "Sometimes she's following what we're asking. But a lot of times she's got the instinct to drive or pull-up. Some of that is fatigue."

Sophomore forward Aija Putnina replaced junior Kara Richards in the starting lineup following the Siena loss and the Buffs reeled off 11 wins. During that stretch, Putnina hit career highs in points and rebounds.

But Putnina started to struggle during the losing streak. After playing 39 minutes in CU's first Big 12 loss (against Iowa State on Jan. 13), she played just 25 minutes in the next game against Texas A&M.; She struggled to hang on to the ball when she put it on the floor and drove to the basket.

And then in the first half on Saturday, Putnina again let her opponents go by her and attempted to block shots from behind.

McConnell-Miller benched Putnina for 10 minutes in the first half.

It worked. Putnina responded with eight points and four rebounds in 16 minutes in the second half by driving strong to the basket and finished much better.

"I was on the bench for a long time and I saw the team playing when I was not in there," Putnina said. "I just saw the things that I had to work on to help the team."