Colorado women’s basketball seeks March Madness return after roster reboot
- Various Authors
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Written by Xavier Michnewicz and Harrison Simeon
Change is getting easier for Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball coach JR Payne.
Renovating a team in two consecutive offseasons after entering a new conference is a toil not many are built for. A three-year NCAA Tournament streak is history, the transfer portal is a current balancing act, but Payne sees the future.
Entering year 10 at the helm, she's growing into the challenge of roster-building from near-scratch.
“Even as we’re planning practice, it’s not just ‘Let’s do what we did last year,’ we have to be very intentional and very thoughtful about every single drill we do,” Payne said before an October practice.
Now, Colorado looks more well-suited for the rigorous, uber-athletic Big 12. After a ninth-place finish last regular season and a quarterfinal exit in the conference tournament, the Buffaloes have reason to believe they’re more sustainable and hold higher potential.
That’s not to say it’ll be easy, though. CU is ninth in the Big 12 preseason poll (both coaches and media) and faces a litany of top conference contenders, including AP No. 14 Iowa State, No. 16 Baylor, No. 17 TCU and No. 22 Oklahoma State.
Outside voices project another year on March’s edge (current bracketology?), stemming from struggles on the road, to stay healthy and with turnovers last season. Payne was cognizant of these concerns, constructing a crew poised to address them.
“Our chemistry is as good as it possibly could be and as good as it's ever been during our 10 years here,” Payne said. “Which is really difficult to do in six months, which is all we’ve had together, if that. That bodes really well for what we’re going to be capable of.”
The Buffaloes added five transfers and five freshmen while returning three who hope to mesh. Sights are set on a return to the Big Dance, but do they have rhythm?
The Returners
The Buffaloes' returners are few but proud, consisting of guard Kennedy Sanders, forward Jade Masogayo and center JoJo Nworie.
As the only returning guard from a year ago, Sanders is looking to take the next step in her third year as a Buff. After redshirting her freshman year, she made her CU debut last season and showed flashes of brilliance.
Most notably, the 5-foot-8 guard single-handedly drove comebacks in the Buffaloes' quarterfinal finish in the Big 12 tournament last season. When the lights were brightest, Sanders averaged 9.7 points, three rebounds and three assists, including a 14-point game to push CU to the quarterfinals.
As the only player with three years on Colorado, Payne will rely on Sanders to drive the offense, lead the charge defensively and carry the keys of past success.
While Sanders has undeniable potential, the Buffaloes will go as far as Masogayo takes them. In 22.8 minutes per game, Masogayo led CU with 12.5 points per game while shooting 59.9% from the field, and also snagged 4.8 rebounds in 2024.
The 6-foot-3 forward will be relied on heavily as the Buffaloes find their footing with a new-look squad, but Masogayo isn’t backing down from the challenge.
“My coaches have been really harping to me to step up and be a leader,” Masogayo said. “I’m more of a quiet type of player, so I’m really trying to work on that [and] lead by example.”
Nworie has seen little playing time in college basketball, let alone with the Buffaloes. The 6-foot-5 Nigerian missed two full seasons of Division I ball before making her NCAA debut for Colorado last December. But in a front court that includes herself, Masogayo and freshmen, Payne may turn to her in crucial moments this season.
The Transfers
In the portal this past spring, coach Payne had two things in mind: defense and shooting.
Overall, Payne brought in three all-conference defenders. She snagged guards Desiree Wooten out of North Texas and Zyanna Walker from Kansas State while adding needed veteran talent in forward Anaëlle Dutat from Rhode Island. Each brings a different skillset to the team, but all will be tenacious defenders for the Buffaloes.
In 2024, the Buffaloes lacked the defensive upside that a team needs for a deep March run, but with Walker and Wooten strapping up the backcourt, defense will be their strong suit.
In her time with North Texas, Wooten averaged 11.5 points per game while plucking 1.8 steals per game. Walker did much of the same against familiar Big 12 talent, with 1.6 steals and 8.2 points per game. Both boast defensive capabilities but have emerging offensive skills with two years of eligibility left.
In her time with Rhode Island, Dutat flourished into a defensive star. The 6-foot forward from France averaged 7.9 points and 7.9 rebounds while snagging 1.7 steals in her junior year. Heading into her senior season, Payne is looking for Dutat to take a step into a more expansive role.
“One thing I’ve never been told is ‘Go faster here,’” Dutat said. “They want me to be aggressive and take more risks on defense, so that’s something different. That I can do. I’ll just try to be solid and keep on that track.”
On the shooting front, Gonzaga transfer Claire O’Connor will steal headlines, while Maeve McErlane from DePaul will provide much-needed depth.
In her sophomore season with the Bulldogs, O’ Connor was their second-leading 3-point shooter in percentage, attempts and makes. The 6-foot guard is looking to make a step towards completion, with an all-around game rather than simple sharpshooting.
“She’s a proven 40 percent shooter at a very high level in a top-25 program, but she is much more than that,” Payne said. “She can get to the paint, make good decisions, she is strong, she can rebound, there are a lot of different things she can bring to the table.”
The Freshmen
Colorado’s five freshmen this year are all poised to contribute, but are headlined by Payne's four-star additions. Guard Erianna Gooden and forward Logyn Greer are looking to make quick marks on the Buffaloes.
At 6-foot-4, Greer has a wingspan of 6-foot-10 and brings a needed three-level scoring threat to Colorado. In the Buffs' exhibition last Wednesday against the Colorado School of Mines, Greer already saw her first start, so it’s no secret that she will be a big contributor this season.
“Logyn is as advertised,” Payne said. “Her skillset is like a very young Breanna Stewart. She can shoot it, she can dribble, she can rebound, she can block shots, she can post up.”
After seeing a passion for basketball that she sees in herself, Gooden was drawn to Colorado from the beginning. Physically and mentally, she is a perfect fit to Payne’s style of play.
In her senior season, she earned a state MVP, state championship and MaxPreps Player of the Year while playing with a torn labrum. When Colorado needs to turn to her, she will seize the moment.
“I like to play fast and I like to move the ball,” Gooden said. “My favorite part about basketball is making a really good pass, and then that player getting a really nice shot. That’s my favorite part about playing the game.”
While Gooden and Greer headline the class, don’t doubt the rest of the freshmen. Payne dipped heavily into overseas recruitment to round out what may be Colorado’s most talented freshman class in her tenure.
Australian center Jade Crook brings experience, having played basketball on World Cup teams since her mid-teens.
Luxembourgish guard Isa Hämäläinen also brings tools. The 6-foot-1 guard competed on her country’s Youth National Team from U14-U18, winning a silver medal in the European Championship while being a top-three scorer on the team.
Center Sophie Zadel hails from San Antonio, Texas, and brings height with a 6-foot-4 frame and valuable depth to the Buffaloes' frontcourt after the late-offseason departure of Tabitha Betson.
These freshies round out a squad that appears dialed in and appreciative of each other after Wednesday’s exhibition. CU routed Mines with a balanced attack, with four players scoring double-digits and Zadel surprising many with more than a dozen rebounds.
Gooden and Greer reached initial expectations, particularly wreaking havoc defensively. The former had a team-high seven steals while displaying vision and passing ability well beyond her age.
Payne was proud of how the team didn’t let early-season jitters prevail, impressing as much as it could for a glorified scrimmage. With another home-heavy non-conference slate ahead, but one that includes a trip to Hawaii to face VCU, Texas A&M and UT Arlington, comfort is key.
“I'm really proud of how we played tonight,” Payne said postgame. “I thought we'd be way more nervous, and maybe we were, but it definitely didn't show.”
Collectively, CU has the universe in its hands. If the returners can congeal, youngsters can energize and transfers can do what they were brought in for, Payne can cruise back into March Madness.
The Buffs tip off the regular season this Thursday at 6 p.m. MT against the New Mexico Lobos (ESPN+).
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