Offensively, the Colorado women’s basketball team has weapons, but it’s been an inconsistent bunch this season.
Defensively, however, the Buffaloes have locked in, giving themselves a chance in every game they play.
On Sunday, the Buffs will look to keep it going when they take a two-game win streak into Allen Fieldhouse for a date with the Kansas Jayhawks.
“I think you give yourself a chance to be successful whoever you play when you’ve shown that you can guard and you like to guard,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “I think you give yourself a chance, so I love that.”
At 5-4 in Big 12 play, the Buffs certainly haven’t been perfect, but they are making a habit of slowing down the opposition. Counting only conference games, CU ranked fifth in the Big 12 in scoring defense through Friday, allowing 63.3 points per game; and third in opponent field goal percentage, giving up just 39.1%.
Since Arizona State hit 59.1% of its shots against the Buffs in the conference opener on Dec. 21, CU has allowed the opposition to shoot just 37.1%, holding seven of the last eight opponents below 39%.
“I think we have a ton of confidence defensively,” Payne said. “I think we know that we have multiple players that can individually guard, but I think we really believe in each other defensively because our execution of game plan the last few games has been stellar.”
In nine conference games, the Buffs have held their opponent below their scoring average six times. That includes Thursday’s 56-47 win against Kansas State (which averages 64.2 points in Big 12 play) and last Sunday’s 79-65 win against Oklahoma State (74.3 average in Big 12).
Along the way, CU has frustrated some of the Big 12’s top scorers. Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, who leads the country with 26.6 points per game, had just 17 in CU’s 68-62 upset of the Cyclones on Jan. 14. Baylor’s Taliah Scott, who is second in the Big 12 with 20.3 points per game, had just 11 against the Buffs on Jan. 8. Kansas State’s leading scorer, Taryn Sides, had three points against the Buffs on Thursday, 10 below her average, despite playing all 40 minutes.
In building the roster for this year, CU recruited three transfers who were on the all-defensive team in their respective conferences last year: Anaelle Dutat, Zyanna Walker and Desiree Wooten.
“When you sign three all-conference defensive players, they’re not just good at it, but they’ve seen that it can bring success to the group,” Payne said.
Senior Jade Masogayo and others have stepped up defensively, as well.
“It’s not just those three; I think everybody’s buying in,” Payne said.
Associate head coach Toriano Towns spearheads the defense and Payne said, “He coaches them like a defensive back (in football), with toughness and bravado and confidence and those kinds of things. So I think this team has definitely bought into that as their identity.”
The Buffs have another significant challenge on Sunday, though. Kansas is fourth in Big 12 play with 72.1 points per game and has two the league’s most dynamic scorers in forward Jaliya Davis (22.8 ppg in conference play) and guard S’Mya Nichols (16.3).
KU is just 3-7 in Big 12 games, but lost by two at No. 12 TCU on Thursday after routing K-State last Sunday. Four of KU’s Big 12 losses have come by seven points or less.
“I think they’re really good and I think they’re one of the most dangerous teams in the conference,” Payne said. “They can shoot, they post play; their point guard (Nichols), she’s a real scoring point guard, but she’s incredible and definitely a tough matchup.”
CU Buffs women’s basketball at Kansas
TIPOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. MT, Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 14-7, 5-4 Big 12; Kansas 13-9, 3-7 Big 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (178-123; 279-236 career). Kansas — Brandon Schneider, 11th season (156-172; 557-310 career).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — F Tabitha Betson, 6-2, So. (4.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.9 spg, .514 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, .509 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.3 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (12.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg). Kansas — G Laia Conesa, 5-11, Jr. (3.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.3 apg); F Jaliya Davis, 6-2, Fr. (21.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, .644 fg%); G Elle Evans, 6-3, Sr. (9.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .490 3pt%); F Lilly Meister, 6-3, Sr. (9.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, .549 fg%); G S’mya Nichols, 6-0, Jr. (17.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.9 apg, .407 3pt%); F Regan Williams, 6-3, So. (9.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .525 fg%).
NOTES: CU is looking to win back-to-back road games on the same trip for the first time since Feb. 2-4, 2024, at Washington State and Washington. … The Buffs are 34-36 all-time against Kansas, including 12-18 on the road. … This will be the 71st matchup between the two teams, tying for the most frequent opponent in CU history. The Buffs have also played Kansas State and Missouri 71 times. … In her last 11 games, Masogayo has averaged 13.8 points, scoring in double figures in 10 of those games. … Walker has averaged 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in Big 12 play. … KU had a two-game win streak snapped on Thursday with a 79-77 loss at No. 12 TCU. The Jayhawks trailed by 13 early and nearly rallied for the upset. … Davis and Nichols have each had 10 20-point games for Kansas, and they’ve both done it in the same game three times, including Thursday when they combined for 53. … Davis has been the Big 12 freshman of the week the past four weeks. … Nichols is fourth in the Big 12 in scoring and eighth in assists. Davis would be second in the Big 12 in scoring, but she’s only played 12 games and doesn’t qualify for the leaderboard. … In the NET rankings, CU is No. 49, while Kansas is No. 53.