Colorado exceeded expectations but left more on the table
- Xavier Michnewicz
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Colorado Buffaloes never reached their full potential.
In a rollercoaster season that included everything from a loss to Montana State to a semifinal run in the Big 12 Tournament, the Buffaloes had the bones of a deep March Madness run. But when the lights were brightest, Colorado’s season ended in a first-round exit in the Big Dance.
However, after being the first team left off the dance floor a season ago, the Buffs exceeded expectations. They were picked to finish ninth in the Big 12’s preseason poll, finishing three places higher at sixth. That success can be attributed to a transfer portal masterclass by head coach JR Payne.
She replaced 10 players for the second consecutive year, and constructed the chemistry that was missed the season prior. Transfer guards Desiree Wooten and Zyanna Walker led the team in scoring, with former Rhode Island Ram Anaelle Dutat leading the glass effort.
Wooten and Walker averaged a combined 24.7 points, and Dutat led the Big 12 in offensive rebounds, finishing third in rebounds per game. While the transfers contributed to the stat sheet, their chemistry was unmatched.
“This is my favorite team I've played for by far,” Walker said after the first-round exit. “Everybody’s a family … and it’s never been like that for any of the programs I played for.”
Naturally, what the Buffaloes leaned on this season was their defense. They allowed 60.9 points, 9.3 steals and forced 17.8 turnovers per contest, all marks that rank in the top half of the Big 12.
What led to its eventual downfall was Colorado’s inconsistency on offense. They survived bad shooting nights, but couldn’t buy a bucket from beyond the arc. Against Illinois, the Buffaloes only hit one of their nine 3-point attempts, with the lone trey coming in the second quarter.
“This one is harder than most because of the character and relationships,” Payne said. “The camaraderie of this group is almost unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my 25 years of coaching.”
The offensive inconsistency was even more difficult to overcome after Colorado lost two of their best offensive players early in the season. 3-point sniper Claire O’ Connor and guard Kennedy Sanders each went down with injuries before conference play.
O’Connor didn’t see many minutes before she got injured. But she was lethal from beyond the arc in her time with Gonzaga, never having the chance to show it in Boulder. Sanders endured season-ending hip surgery after she facilitated the offense during non-conference play.
Both Sanders and O’Connor are expected to return to Colorado, along with some key contributors. Most importantly, Walker has transferred twice and will be a Buff next season, she announced via her social media on Thursday.
“Chin up, chest out,” Walker said of her message to the locker room. “Remember this feeling for next year.”
It’ll also be key for Colorado to retain its youth, such as freshman forward Logyn Greer, among others in her class. Greer averaged nine points and five rebounds in her freshman season. The Buffaloes will also look to retain their other four-star recruit Erianna Gooden, who didn’t stuff the stat sheet but provided valuable minutes this season.
Colorado will for sure lose two players this offseason in Dutat and Jade Masogayo. While a 10-player roster turnover shouldn’t be in the cards, some Buffaloes could look at a nice chunk of change if they do transfer. Wooten gained national attention for bucket-getting and dynamic play style, and would be looking at plenty of Power 4 offers if she entered the portal.
“This is the hardest time of the year,” Payne said on keeping the team together. “We’ve talked a lot about the chemistry of this group, and I feel very confident this team wants to stay together.”
March didn’t deliver the run Colorado was looking for, but it revealed a foundation. For a team rebuilt through the portal, the Buffaloes found their identity with flashes of firepower.