Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball

Colorado women’s basketball ready for Big 12 opener against West Virginia

Colorado women’s hoops will open its Big 12 schedule this evening

On Saturday, the 9-2 Colorado women’s basketball team will set sail into Big 12 waters, opening conference play in Boulder against the No. 14 West Virginia Mountaineers (10-1).

The Buffs will have a tall task against one of the Big 12’s top teams, as the Mountaineers have rolled through all but one of their games this season. WVU’s only loss came against the No. 6 Texas Longhorns on Dec. 1.

Colorado and West Virginia had one common opponent in nonconference play, Boise State. CU suffered a 50-47 loss against the Broncos on Nov. 10 while West Virginia stormed to an 82-47 win on Nov. 30.

While the Buffaloes’ offense was a major point of struggle earlier this season, those concerns have subsided. Their defense over the last several weeks, however, may need some tightening up for CU to remain competitive in Big 12 play. Even against competition from lower-level conferences, the Buffs allowed opposing teams such as Southern, Tennessee Tech and Utah Tech to score with relative ease.

Tip off between the Buffs and Mountaineers from the CU Events Center is set for 6:00 p.m. MT on Saturday (ESPN+).

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Colorado women’s basketball closes nonconference play with win over DU

CU picked up its ninth win of the year

On Tuesday night, the Colorado women’s basketball team closed its nonconference schedule with another double-digit home win, taking down in-state foe Denver, 78-61.

With the win, CU improved to 9-2 on the year while DU dropped to 4-5.

The Buffs got big games out of forwards Ayianna Johnson and Lior Garzon, who each came off the bench to lead CU with 14 points. Johnson enjoyed a strong game in the paint, hitting 6-of-9 shots from 2-point range while bullying the smaller Pioneer forwards.

Colorado was again without guards Kindyll Wetta and Kennedy Sanders, who were each dealing with concussions. Still, the Buffs dished out 19 assists on 32 made shots.

Head coach JR Payne was asked about her team’s ability to share the ball without a true point guard:

“There were some really beautiful possessions tonight where we made the extra pass,” Payne said. “Those are the type of shots that result in an assist even without a true point guard.”

CU will have ample time to rest before Big 12 play begins on Dec. 21. The West Virginia Mountaineers are scheduled to visit Boulder for a 6 p.m. MT tip.

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Undermanned CU Buffs handle visiting Southern Utah

Despite missing two key players, Colorado made quick work of Southern Utah

The shorthanded Colorado women’s basketball team made quick work of visiting Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon despite losing two key players to injury the day prior.

According to BuffZone’s Brian Howell, starting point guard Kindyll Wetta and her backup Kennedy Sanders are dealing with concussions after colliding with each other at practice on Friday. Johanna Teder received the starting nod in their place and dished out a team-high seven assists in Colorado’s 76-59 win.

“Everyone bought into their roles really fast,” Teder said. “We have so (many) different skillsets, so it wasn’t a problem at all.”

Offensively, Colorado had three double-digit scorers in Frida Formann (15), Jade Masogayo (10) and Lior Garzon (20)

“My work ethic gives me a lot of confidence,” said Garzon, who tallied her third 20-plus-point game of the season. “I play with confidence but it’s not because I’m making shots, it’s because of what I do before. My preparation is very, very good before games.”

On the defensive end, Colorado held Southern Utah to 44.2% from the field and 31.6% from deep.

Head coach JR Payne and the Buffs improved to 8-2 while Southern Utah fell to 1-9. Colorado will host Denver on Tuesday (7 p.m. MT, ESPN+) in its nonconference finale.

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JR Payne earns 150th win at Colorado as Buffs take down Tennessee Tech

JR Payne secured her 150th win leading the Buffaloes

In a Tuesday matinee at the CU Events Center, the Colorado women’s basketball team defeated the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, 91-79, bringing the Buffs’ record to 7-2. Colorado’s seventh win also marked an important milestone for head coach JR Payne.

Payne earned her 150th victory leading the Buffs, a feat she credited to the players she has coached since taking the helm in 2016.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of great players come through here, long before I was here, and ever since I’ve arrived,” Payne said (h/t CUBuffs.com). “I had no idea it was 150 wins. That’s clearly a testament to the great players we’ve had through our program. That’s really cool for the program.”

The Buffs’ offense showed up again on Tuesday, hitting 90 points for the second time this season. Forwards Ayianna Johnson and Nyamer Diew each scored 15 points off the bench to lead the Buffs and guard Frida Formann pitched in 14 points.

Ball movement has become the calling card of the Buffs’ offense this season. They shared the rock to the tune of 25 assists on 36 made field goals. Senior point guard Kindyll Wetta dished out a team-high eight assists.

The Buffs will welcome the 1-8 Southern Utah Thunderbirds to the CU Event Center on Saturday (1 p.m. MT on ESPN+).

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Sara-Rose Smith explodes in CU Buffs’ win over Utah Tech

Led by Sara-Rose Smith, the Buffs downed Utah Tech

After an extended break, the Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team returned to action on Wednesday, beating the Utah Tech Trailblazers in St. George, 85-73.

After scoring a season-high 95 points against Utah State last week, the Buffs’ offense stayed hot but was led by an unexpected source: Sara-Rose Smith. The senior guard set a new career-high with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point land. Smith got the Buffs off to a good start as she made her first two attempts from 3 to give the Buffs a 6-0 lead in a game they never trailed.

CU got double-digit efforts from three other starters: Lior Garzon (19), Jade Masogayo (13) and Frida Formann (10). Point guard Kindyll Wetta nearly joined that group with eight points, but she led the team with eight assists.

On Saturday, Colorado will return to the CU Events Center for a matchup with the Louisville Cardinals, who are ranked No. 23 in the USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT on ESPN+.

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CU women’s basketball routs Utah State on Peggy’s 100th birthday

Colorado nearly hit the century mark on Peggy’s 100th birthday

On a Tuesday night in which the Colorado women’s basketball team celebrated superfan Peggy Coppom’s 100th birthday, the Buffs set a new season-high in points scored, running past the Utah State Aggies, 95-65.

Utah State made things interesting in the first half, shooting a blistering 8-of-15 from 3-point land. CU also started hot from the field, shooting 58.1%. Still, it only led 46-39 lead entering halftime.

The Buffs dialed up the heat in the third quarter. They outscored the Aggies 27-3 and held Utah State to 1-of-13 from the field. CU’s offense stayed strong in the fourth quarter, finishing five points short of the century mark in the 30-point win.

Forward Lior Garzon led the way while setting a new career-high with 28 points scored. The Oklahoma State transfer was excellent from beyond the arc as she went 5-for-6 from 3-point territory. Forward Jade Masogayo (17) and guard Frida Formann (15) joined Garzon in reaching double figures. Masogayo also reached a new career-high in assists with six.

With the third quarter being the difference in the game, I asked head coach JR Payne what her message was at halftime:

“Limit turnovers, make better decisions, make clean passes,” Payne said. “We wanted to be aggressive. We wanted to contest higher on the perimeter because they were shooting the 3 so well. We wanted to keep rebounding like we were. We kind of covered everything.”

CU is now 5-1 on the young season. Up next, it’ll visit Utah Tech on Nov. 27.

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Frida Formann returns to action as Colorado defeats Southern

A star returned to action for the CU women’s basketball team

On Sunday, the Colorado women’s basketball team got a massive boost as sharpshooter Frida Formann returned from injury in the Buffs’ 65-45 home win over the Southern Jaguars.

Formann, Colorado’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made, missed the first four games of the season due to injury. She came off the bench and did what she does best, nailing her first 3-point attempt of the season. In total, she scored nine points in 25 minutes.

Formann wasn’t the only guard to produce off the bench, as Johanna Teder led the Buffs with 11 points. CU also shared the ball well, dishing out 20 assists on 24 made field goals. Senior point guard Kindyll Wetta led the way with five dimes while playing her standard version of pesky on-ball defense, leading the team with three steals.

With the win, CU moved to 4-1 on the season. The Buffs will return to action on Tuesday against the Utah State Aggies. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT at the CU Events Center. Fans can catch the game on ESPN+.

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CU women’s basketball enjoys strong offensive night in win over Nevada

Colorado’s offense erupted for 75 points in a dominant win over Nevada

The Colorado women’s basketball team’s offense has been up and down so far this season, but it was thriving on Tuesday in the Buffs’ 75-59 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack.

Colorado played well from the start and led by as many as 24 points during the game before settling for the 16-point win. Three Buffs got into double-digits with senior guard Johanna Teder dropping a team-high 14 off the bench. Jade Masogayo scored over 10 points for the third straight game, finishing with 11 points and five rebounds. Senior point guard Kindyll Wetta also contributed 12 points, five rebounds and two assists.

After falling to Boise State on Sunday, Tuesday’s win over Nevada gives the Buffs a split on their two-game road trip and moves them to 3-1 on the young season.

The biggest difference between the Boise State loss was CU’s ability to hit shots from deep. The Buffs nailed nine 3-pointers, with Johanna Teder and Sara-Rose Smith each hitting three. Smith got her first start of the year in place of freshman Tabitha Betson as the Buffs continue to try and find the right combination until guard Frida Formann is healthy enough to return to the starting lineup.

Colorado returns home on Sunday to face the Southern Jaguars. Tip off is set for 5 p.m. MT on ESPN+.

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Colorado women’s basketball stumbles at Boise State

CU’s offense couldn’t get going on the road

On Sunday afternoon, the Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a defensive battle with the Boise State Broncos, 50-47.

While CU did shoot better than Boise State from the field — 34% to 32% —the Buffs were 0-of-17 from beyond the arc. That broke a streak for the Buffs, as they had hit at least one 3-pointer in 125 straight games before Sunday.

The game was a battle from the start. Neither team led by more than five points and the two teams exchanged 16 lead changes. Jade Masogayo was the only Buff to reach double-digits at 13 points while also leading the team with seven rebounds. CU was, however, without its best shooter as Frida Formann missed her third consecutive game with a leg injury.

After falling to 2-1, Colorado will face the Nevada Wolf Pack on Tuesday (8 p.m. MT) at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nevada. The Mountain West Network will provide the broadcast.

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CU women’s basketball survives subpar second half, rolls by Northern Colorado

Our Harrison Simeon recapped Colorado women’s basketball’s successful home opener

Considering the competition, it hasn’t all been pretty for Colorado women’s basketball through the first two games of a new era. However, the Buffs got the job done against the Northern Colorado Bears in their home opener on Thursday, securing an 81-66 win.

It was forward Jade Masogayo’s turn to lead the way offensively. The Missouri State transfer collected 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting and five assists in 22 minutes. Fellow forward Nyamer Diew added 14 points while guard Johanna Teder logged 10.

Colorado, which improved to 2-0, moved the ball effectively all night against the Bears, racking up 26 total assists. Senior guard Kindyll Wetta was responsible for 10 of those herself, taking her leadership role head-on with the Buffs still missing the services of injured guard Frida Formann.

“Kindyll’s always been someone that was completely trustworthy,” head coach JR Payne said. “We’re really asking her to be a more aggressive offensive weapon… The 10 assists, I think it comes from her being aggressive.”

After Colorado jumped out to a 12-2 lead, Northern Colorado hung around until the end. CU had its fair share of miscues — 16 turnovers and 18 personal fouls — and shot 43.3% in the second half, but a well-rounded offensive approach dimmed the Bears’ hopes of an upset.

The Buffs will not have much time to rest, as the Boise State Broncos (1-0) lie ahead on Sunday. Tip off from ExtraMile Arena in Boise is set for 2 p.m. MT.

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