Typically, JR Payne and the Colorado women’s basketball team are quick the turn the page after a game, win or lose.
Surely, the 20th-ranked Buffaloes took some extra time to enjoy a remarkable season-opening win Monday, as they stunned No. 1 LSU, 92-78, on a national stage.
The Buffs don’t have much time to enjoy it, though. On Wednesday night, CU will return to the hardwood for its home opener against a lesser-known opponent, Le Moyne College.
Payne said her team won’t overlook the Dolphins, though.
“Well, first things first all you have to do is go back and look the last time we beat No. 1 in the country,” she said. “We went down and lost to Arizona State a couple of days later.”
That was in January of 2021, when the Buffs had a still-building program that was just learning how to win. This is a much different group thatap proven it can not only win, but lock in night after night.
“Because of how veteran we are, we don’t overlook anybody,” Payne said. “Our preparation for LSU was exactly the same as our preparation for Adams State, our exhibition game. The scout was dialed in, the focus was where it needed to be and so it will be no different. It is a short turnaround. People are tired, not really banged up, just tired and so we’ll try to rest as much as we can and we’ll be ready.”
All offseason, Payne and the Buffs talked about the depth of experience and veterans on the roster. That certainly showed up against LSU.
Frida Formann had a career-high 27 points in what was her 87th career game. Jaylyn Sherrod, playing her 107th game, had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Aaronette Vonleh (52nd game) scored 24 points, while Quay Miller (116th) had eight points, Tameiya Sadler (79th) and Sara-Rose Smith (76th) each had five, and Kindyll Wetta (66th) had four.
The Buffs also had key minutes out of Maddie Nolan (112th game), Charlotte Whittaker (82nd) and Brianna McLeod (30th).
“We do have a lot of veterans and thatap partly why we wanted this game (against LSU) and why we’ve scheduled such a challenging preseason schedule,” Payne said. “We have a lot of tough games on our schedule. So yeah, I think our veterans carried us, they’ll continue to carry us and yeah, itap just a great start for the season.”
CU will continue to lean on its leaders against Le Moyne and in future games, as well.
“We’ve played a lot of games together and been in some big games and I think our belief in each other is so strong that, again, it just doesn’t really matter who we’re playing,” Payne said. “Not that you can’t lose, but we just know that we’ll have each other’s back. We’ll stay together, we’ll answer a bell. Like, whatever comes in our path there’s nothing really that will splinter us.”
No. 20 CU Buffs women’s basketball vs. Le Moyne Dolphins
TIPOFF: Wednesday, 6 p.m., CU Events Center in Boulder
TV/RADIO: Online – CUBuffs.com live stream; 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 1-0, 0-0 Pac-12; Le Moyne 0-1, 0-0 NEC
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 8th season (120-93; 221-206 career). Le Moyne — Mary Grimes, 3rd season (38-15 at Le Moyne and career).
KEY PLAYERS (2022-23 stats): Colorado — G Frida Formann, 5-11, Sr. (12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .393 3PT%, .893 FT%); C Quay Miller, 6-3, Sr. (13.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .330 3PT%); G Maddie Nolan, 5-11, Sr. (At Michigan: 9.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, .342 3PT%, .857 FT%); G Jaylyn Sherrod, 5-7, Sr. (11.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.4 spg); C Aaronette Vonleh, 6-3, Jr. (12.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .585 FG%); G Kindyll Wetta, 5-9, Jr. (5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.7 spg). Le Moyne — G Lytoya Baker, 5-9, Sr. (12.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.0 spg); G Kaia Goode 5-4, So. (10.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.3 spg); G Sierra Linnin,5-8, So. (8.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, .368 3PT%, .875 FT%); G Sydney Lusher, 5-11, Sr. (10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, .364 3PT%); G Haedyn Roberts, 6-1, Jr. (12.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, .471 FG%, .880 FT%).
NOTES: Colorado is coming off one of the biggest wins in program history, knocking off No. 1 LSU on Monday, 92-78. Formann had 27 points and Vonleh 24 in the win. … CU has won 15 consecutive home openers, last losing to Siena in the first home game of the 2007-08 season. … Under Payne, the Buffs are 45-2 in non-conference home games, including a current 32-game win streak. The last non-conference loss at home came on Dec. 11, 2017, to Dartmouth. … This will be the first-ever meeting between the Buffs and Dolphins. … Le Moyne opened its season with a 69-49 loss at Colorado State on Monday. Baker had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Dolphins. … This is Le Moyne’s first season as a D-I member of the Northeast Conference. … The Dolphins went 21-7 last year and won back-to-back Division II Northeast-10 Conference regular season titles the last two years, reaching the D-II NCAA Tournament in both seasons. … Grimes was conference coach of the year last season. … Le Moyne returns eight players from last year, including five players who started at least 19 games. … Baker was the conference defensive player of the year and D-II All-American honorable mention. Lusher was the conference rookie of the year.
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