Coming off a big win against a top-15 opponent that was leading the conference, the Colorado women’s basketball team could be due for a letdown.
Head coach JR Payne doesn’t have much doubt about her team being locked in for a road trip to last-place Houston on Wednesday night, however.
“Definitely it’s something that you have to guard against,” Payne said. “Our team’s too mature to do anything but be super locked in. Especially because we have stumbled a couple times where we were like, ‘Man, that team was good, but we should have been better.’”
The Buffs (16-8, 7-5 Big 12) upset then-No. 14 TCU, 80-79, on Sunday at the CU Events Center and they’ve now won four of their last five games. The only hiccup was a 61-55 loss to No. 20 West Virginia last Wednesday, a game in which the Buffs still had a shot to win in the last minute.
Since a 74-68 loss at Central Florida – one of only two conference wins for the 14th-place Knights – on Jan. 18, the Buffs have played perhaps their best basketball of the season.
“I think we’re in a good headspace,” Payne said. “I think this group is really growing. It’s not often we’re making the same mistakes back-to-back. We’re learning from one game into the next. Even if it’s not Xs and Os, it’s communication and how to problem-solve and it’s kind of a group that’s growing before our eyes, which is really fun.”
It’s also a group that can’t afford to stumble against opponents in the lower part of the standings. The Buffs have played themselves onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. Sitting at No. 45 in the NET rankings, CU is projected as the “first team out” on the latest bracket projection posted by ESPN’s Charlie Creme on Tuesday.
Losing to Houston (No. 172 in the NET) could be crushing to CU’s postseason hopes, even if it is on the road. The Buffs come into the game on a two-game road win streak, however, and a mindset that Payne believes won’t lead to overlooking the Cougars.
“The (scouting report) clearly showed that these guys are super talented,” Payne said of Houston, which has five players averaging at least 8.1 points per game. “They can attack your feet and get to the paint and do so many great things that can be a challenge.”
Although Houston is at the bottom of the conference standings, the Big 12 is loaded with strong teams this year, with 10 in the top 50 of the NET rankings. Payne said the Buffs can’t afford to let up against anyone in the conference.
“Oh yeah, not at all,” she said. “Not at all, especially this year. I think this year’s conference is so strong. And we’re seeing everybody beat everybody. So, I think even just that, seeing the scores and different people beating different people I think is another good reminder for our team.”
CU Buffs women’s basketball at Houston
TIPOFF: Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. MT, Fertitta Center in Houston
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 16-8, 7-5 Big 12; Houston 7-16, 1-11 Big 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (180-124; 281-237 career). Houston — Matthew Mitchell, 1st season (7-16; 340-178 career).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — F Tabitha Betson, 6-2, So. (4.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (8.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.8 spg, .513 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (12.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, .500 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (11.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.4 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (12.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.5 spg). Houston — F Amirah Abdur-rahim, 6-3, Sr. (8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg); G Kyndall Hunter, 5-7, Sr. (9.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg); F Jade Jones, 5-10, Fr. (6.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg); G Kierra Merchant, 5-9, Jr. (9.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.4 spg); G Briana Peguero, 5-7, Sr. (8.1 ppg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 spg); G TK Pitts, 6-1, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.0 spg).
NOTES: CU has won four of its last five games, including a two-game sweep of the Kansas schools on the road Jan. 29 and Feb. 1. … The Buffs had lost eight consecutive conference road games before those wins in Kansas. … Overall, the Buffs are 2-5 on the road this year, while Houston is 5-7 at home. … The Buffs are 3-1 all-time against Houston, including two wins last year, one in Boulder and one in Kansas City during the Big 12 Tournament. … CU has never played against the Cougars in Houston, but has been to Houston once before, playing a pair of nonconference games (against Montana and Alcorn State) at Rice University on Dec. 7-8, 1996. … Masogayo is averaging 14.4 points in conference games, including an 18.4 average in the last five games. … Houston’s lone win in Big 12 play was a 72-70 victory against Cincinnati on Feb. 1. … Mitchell was head coach at Kentucky from 2007-20 and is the winningest coach in program history, with a 303-133 record. He retired after the 2020 season and came out of retirement to take the job at Houston.
Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.