Six games into the Big 12 Conference slate, the Colorado women’s basketball team has proven that, as usual, it is tough to beat at home.
The Buffs are 3-0 against conference foes at the CU Events Center after an upset win against No. 19 Iowa State on Wednesday. They have yet to figure out the formula on the road, however, and will look to change that Sunday at Central Florida.
This season, the Buffs are 0-3 in conference road games, and 0-4 in true road games overall. Since rejoining the Big 12 a year ago, they are 1-11 in conference road games.
“It’s a huge priority (to win on the road) and we feel like we were right there last weekend in both games,” CU head coach JR Payne said.
On Jan. 8, the Buffs took No. 16 Baylor to the wire in Waco, Texas, before falling 56-52. They never trailed by more than eight and pulled within two in the closing seconds.
Last Sunday, at Oklahoma State, the Buffs led by four early in the fourth quarter in Stillwater, but OSU had a 15-2 run during a five-minute spurt to win 63-56.
Those were encouraging results for the Buffs because both teams are among the best in the Big 12, and they came away believing they should have won. Last year, CU often wasn’t competitive on the road – losing by an average of 19.7 points in six games against the top seven teams in the Big 12. All six losses came by at least 13 points.
This Buffs team, however, went toe-to-toe with Baylor and OSU, taking confidence from the trip.
“We need to be able to continue to focus on the details, and execute throughout the entire 40 minutes rather than just 35 minutes or so,” Payne said. “I think that will allow us to ultimately be successful and win on the road.”
A glance at the standings suggests Sunday will be an easier road challenge for the Buffs. UCF is near the bottom of the Big 12 standings and has lost three in a row at home.
Payne and the Buffs aren’t overlooking the Knights, however.
“They just won at Arizona (on Jan. 10), which very few people do,” Payne said. “We’re going to prepare for everybody exactly the same, but this is definitely an important game because they’ll be hungry and we’re hungry, and it should be a good athletic matchup.
“I think they’re similar to us in some regard in that they’re great defensively, they rebound really well and can use their length and athleticism to contest shots, create disruptions, and things like that.”
The Knights also have one of the Big 12’s top scoring guards in Leah Harmon, who is posting 17.2 points per game. The Miami transfer didn’t score much during a two-game trip to the Arizona schools (eight total points on 3-of-21 shooting in the two games), but had 38 points against Kansas before that trip and scored 29 against Cincinnati on Wednesday.
“That obviously has to be a big priority for us to at least make her work for touches,” Payne said.
The main priority, though, is to keep momentum going.
Since their 10-day holiday break, the Buffs have settled in, playing well in each of the last five games, including Wednesday’s win against Iowa State.
“Even last weekend (at Baylor and OSU), I thought we’re actually playing pretty well,” Payne said. “But, this past game certainly I felt like, ‘OK, we finally are all on the same page, we know what we need to do, the areas we can be better.’ I think we’re coming into our own.”
CU Buffs women’s basketball at Central Florida
TIPOFF: Sunday, noon MT, Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Fla.
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 12-6, 3-3 Big 12; UCF 9-8, 1-5 Big 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (176-122; 277-235 career). UCF — Sytia Messer, 4th season (48-58; 102-99 career)
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — C Jade Crook, 6-4, Fr. (4.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, .508 fg%); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (9.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.0 spg, .533 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (10.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, .500 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (10.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.2 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (11.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.6 spg). UCF — G Jacorriah Bracey, 5-9, Sr. (5.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg); F Mahogany Chandler-Roberts, 6-2, So. (6.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg); G Leah Harmon, 5-6, So. (17.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, .391 3pt%); C Khyala Ngodu, 6-3, Jr. (11.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, .567 fg%); C Savannah Scott, 6-4, So. (5.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .559 fg%); G/F Summer Yancy, 5-11, So. (6.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg).
NOTES: The Buffs hit the road for a quick, one-game trip, which will be their first-ever visit to UCF. … CU has won both previous games against the Knights, including 81-62 on Jan. 8, 2025, in Boulder. … The Buffs are coming off a 68-62 upset of No. 19 Iowa State on Wednesday at home. UCF, meanwhile, lost to Cincinnati, 63-59 in overtime at home on Wednesday. … UCF is 6-5 at home, but has lost three in a row. The Buffs are 0-4 in true road games. … UCF is in its third season in the Big 12. The Knights are just 9-33 in Big 12 games. … Dutat is averaging a double-double in conference play (10.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg). … Harmon ranks sixth in the Big 12 in scoring (17.2 ppg), 11th in field goal percentage (.425) and tied for seventh in free throw percentage (.825). … Both teams are near the bottom of the Big 12 in scoring, with CU 13th (68.3 ppg) and UCF 15th (66.7). They’re also both middle of the pack in scoring defense, with CU seventh (59.6) and UCF eighth (61.1). … In the NET rankings, CU is No. 54 and UCF is No. 135.
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