The Colorado Buffaloes are headed to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament for the third straight year, but it won’t be in Boulder as previously expected. Instead, they’ll visit Manhattan, Kansas this weekend as a No. 5 seed with No. 12 Drake awaiting them in the first round.
While Colorado was hoping to secure a top-four seed and the right to host, head coach JR Payne remains confident that her group has enough experience to handle a difficult road trip.
“We’ve played a lot of tough road games this year, and this one will be no different,” CU’s eighth-year head coach said.
Colorado, which is ranked No. 17 in the latest USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll, dropped five of its final six regular season games before bowing out in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals.
Junior guard Frida Formann has confidence that Colorado can get back on track in Manhattan.
“It’s really just going back to the basics and getting back to who we are,” Formann said. “I don’t think there’s any magic to it. Honestly, when you get further into the season, people start to know you… Now, we have one guaranteed, so we just got to put it all out there.”
If the Buffs can get past the 29-5 Drake Bulldogs, they’ll face either No. 4 Kansas State or No. 13 Portland in the second round.
The #cubuffs women are going dancing for the third straight season. Colorado earned a No. 5 seed and will face No. 12 Drake in the first round. pic.twitter.com/EwnZABXZFT
— Jack Carlough (@Jack_Carlough) March 18, 2024
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