Graduate student guard Jaylyn Sherrod brings the ball up the court during the game against Stanford University on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Indepenedent)
The University of Colorado Boulder women’s basketball team is officially dancing in March, as they secured the No. 5 seed in the second region. They are set to square off against No. 12 seed Drake University on Friday in Manhattan, Kansas. The Buffaloes had a short-lived run in the Pac-12 Tournament last week as they beat the University of Oregon Ducks handily in the first round but fell to the Oregon State Beavers in double overtime during round two. The Buffs hope to get back in sync before they face off with Drake on Friday.
The University of Colorado’s head women’s basketball coach JR Payne instructs her team while they are defending against Oregon State University on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)
Unfortunately for the Buffs, they will play in arguably the most difficult side of the bracket, facing off with Caitlin Clark’s No. 1 seed University of Iowa, No. 2 seed University of California Los Angeles and the star-studded roster of Louisiana State University at the No. 3 spot. It will be an uphill battle for the Buffaloes but head coach JR Payne expressed her excitement about this year’s tournament run.
“[We’re] so excited. So many of us have been here a long time and really been a part of building our program to where we’re expected to play in March,” Payne said in a press conference. “I think that in and of itself is an incredible thing, an incredible testament to the amount of work and effort that’s been poured in from players, staff, coaches and everybody involved.”
The Buffs went to the Sweet 16 last year before falling to Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Colorado is 19-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and have gone to the Elite Eight three times in program history.
The Buffaloes started this year firing on all cylinders, knocking off former No.1 LSU early in the year and ranking as high as No. 3 in the nation in late January. However, as the year went on the Buffs continued to slip down the weekly rankings and the team is now a No. 5 seed in March Madness, when they formerly were considered a lock to be a No. 1 seed. Nevertheless, the number holds no significance for the Buffs as they look to rely on experience from last year and previous tournament runs.
Graduate student guard Jaylyn Sherrod shoots a free throw during the game against the University of Washington at the CU Events Center on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)
Senior guard Jaylyn Sherrod talked about the team’s experience and how it will help Colorado.
“It (experience) matters a lot,” Sherrod said. “We’re going to another hostile environment. I don’t know much about Kansas or the city (Manhattan) itself. It’s all about bringing our own energy. We’ve been in this position before so we know how to get it done.”
Payne shared a similar stance about the effect experience can have in the tournament.
“I think being able to lean on that experience (from last season) and recognize that it’s just a number,” Payne said. “We have played a lot of tough road games this year and this one will be no different. Just be excited about being able to prepare now and knowing who our opponent is. We’re just excited to be playing.”
The Buffs officially tip off against the Drake Bulldogs on Friday at 5 p.m. MST.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Griffin Dreifaldt at griffin.dreifaldt@colorado.edu.
