JR Payne breaks down upcoming season at Winter Sports Media Day
The Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team won’t look too different this year.
“We were able to retain most of our team that had eligibility,” head coach JR Payne said during CU’s Winter Sports Media Day. “We think we're going to be pretty good this year.”
The Buffs went 22-12 last season, falling to the eventual Big 12 champions in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. It earned them a berth to the NCAA Tournament as a 10-seed, where they fell to 7-seeded Illinois in the first round.
The most notable returner was senior Zyanna Walker. Walker was named to the Big 12’s All-Defensive Team and earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last year after averaging 11.3 points per game and 4.2 rebounds. This season she was named to the All-Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Team.
Another notable returner is Jade Crook, who will step into a bigger role after senior Jade Masogayo graduated.
“[Crook] is one of those players that I ultimately just really trust on the court,” Payne said.
Kennedy Sanders is also returning, not just in black and gold, but to the court. She started in the first 10 games for the Buffaloes last season before having season-ending surgery.
“If you were to come into practice, you wouldn't think she'd ever been hurt,” Payne said. “She's getting downhill in transition, and she’s shooting the ball really well.”
Payne said continuity was key for her team and teams moving forward. The Buffs most recently landed Colorado’s top prospect, Sienna Williams, and four-star prospect Elizabeth Lee from Leander, Texas, in the class of 2027.
As a unit, Payne is still optimistic about her squad.
“We are always going to be the hardest-working, toughest and most disciplined team in the country, period,” Payne said.
That identity of hard work and showing up every day has helped the team have very few weaknesses.
“This team probably has more good players than maybe we've ever had,” Payne said. “I don't think we have um anybody that's going to be a first team all-American … but with that being said, we have 14 players that should be able to play.”
For the Buffaloes, that's Logyn Greer. A sophomore returner from last year who averaged 9.2 points and five rebounds per game.
“I mean, truly, the sky is the limit,” Payne said. “[Greer] is one of the more talented players that have ever come through here.”
Colorado added a few newcomers in the transfer portal, highlighted by Mecailin Marshall, who was named the American Conference’s freshman of the year.
“[Marshall] has come in very confident and very aggressive,” Payne said. “She can score on multiple levels and can play multiple positions… so I know she's going to be a big contributor for us this season.”
Marshall averaged 10.5 points per game on 38.4% shooting last year for the Tulane Green Wave.
After an early playoff exit last year, the Buffaloes are poised for a return.
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