JR Payne’s Buffs earning national respect

Colorado women’s basketball was ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll

It’s about time!

An 8-0 start to the season has earned the Colorado women’s basketball team a spot in the AP Top 25 — albeit just barely at No. 25, but a spot nonetheless.

En route to their undefeated start, the Buffs have downed Oklahoma State and Air Force on the road, Marquette and Wisconsin. The last time Colorado was ranked, JR Payne was navigating her first season in Boulder and the Buffs landed No. 20 in the Dec. 26, 2016, AP poll.

Colorado likely won’t move much higher in next week’s poll, though, with just a Tuesday matchup at Southern Utah.

The Buffs have been led by a pair of accomplished leaders in fifth-year senior Mya Hollingshed and Jaylyn Sherrod, who is second in the Pac-12 with a 4.1 assist to turnover ratio.

Also repping the Pac-12 was No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Arizona and No. 23 Oregon State. Needless to say, the Buffs will be tested once conference play begins in late December.

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