Last week, Colorado women’s basketball coach JR Payne got a glimpse of her new team during an exhibition game victory against Colorado School of Mines.
It wasn’t enough to completely calm her nerves, though, as she enters her 10th season at CU with a team that’s almost entirely new.
“Very excited and also a little bit nervous because we have so many new players,” said Payne, whose team will host New Mexico in the season opener on Thursday at the CU Events Center.
Coming off a season in which they went 21-13 and fell just shy of a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the Buffs have 10 new players among the 13 on the roster.
CU has an intriguing mix of talent and chemistry, but it’s also been a disjointed preseason with numerous players out at times with minor ailments.
“We’re still just getting everybody back healthy and on the floor together,” Payne said. “If we’d been like totally healthy and we’ve been all practicing, then I probably wouldn’t be worried about it. But, yeah, it’s very exciting. Everybody’s ready to play a real game and I can’t wait.”
The Buffs looked sharp overall against Mines last week, but didn’t have much competition in the 87-24 win. Still, several newcomers shined, including transfers Anaelle Dutat (Rhode Island), Claire O’Connor (Gonzaga) and Desiree Wooten (North Texas), and freshmen Jade Crook, Anna Gooden, Logyn Greer and Sophie Zadel.
A notable absence from the Mines game was Kansas State transfer Zyanna Walker, but she’s expected to suit up Thursday as she continues to recover from injury.
“We’ll ease her into everything,” Payne said. “It’ll just be a process to get her totally going again.”
Overall, Payne said this is probably the healthiest CU has been all preseason.
With so many new players and so many of those players missing time this preseason, Payne said it’ll take some time for coaches to figure out a rotation and which combinations of players work well together.
“We are figuring it out for sure, but it has been difficult with people out,” she said. “Some of that you can see in practice and some of it you don’t necessarily know until the lights come on and you see how they react in that environment. So it definitely will be a process.”
Payne added that the starting lineup could evolve throughout the year, as well.
“I don’t think it’ll be the same in March as it is today,” she said.
What the Buffs do know going into the year is that the chemistry is strong, which hasn’t always been the case in recent years. Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Sanders, the longest-tenured Buff, said it’s been a great group to work with as she enters her third season at CU.
“I think they’re very coachable,” Sanders said of her teammates. “They all want to get better, do things to make the team better. It’s kind of refreshing.”
After redshirting two years ago and coming off the bench last year, Sanders is projected to start at point guard. She’s also emerged as a leader, along with forward Jade Masogayo, the lone returning starter.
Like Payne, Sanders is eager to get this season underway with a new crop of players.
“I think we have a good group because obviously everyone can step up in different moments, which is important to have,” she said. “I’m very excited.”
CU Buffs women’s basketball vs. New Mexico
TIPOFF: Thursday, 6 p.m. MT, at CU Events Center in Boulder
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS (2024-25 season): Colorado 21-13, 9-9 Big 12; New Mexico 18-14, 11-7 Mountain West
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (164-115; 265-228 career). New Mexico — Mike Bradbury, 10th season (181-103; 359-220 career).
KEY PLAYERS (stats from 2024-25): Colorado — F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (7.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.7 spg at Rhode Island); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg, .599 FG%); G Claire O’Connor, 6-0, Jr. (7.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .408 3-pt% at Gonzaga); G Kennedy Sanders, 5-8, So. (4.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.3 apg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (11.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg at North Texas). New Mexico — F/C Clarissa Craig, 6-3, Sr. (4.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg at Cincinnati); G Alyssa Hargrove, 5-8, Sr. (8.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.4 apg, 2.2 spg, .383 3-pt%); G Destinee Hooks, 5-9, Jr. (15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg); G Joana Magalhaes, 5-5, So. (7.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.5 apg); G Nayli Padilla, 5-9, So. (3.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg).
NOTES: The Buffs are 9-0 in season openers under Payne and they have won 25 consecutive openers overall. The last loss to open a season came at Denver on Nov. 19, 1999. … This will be the second game of the season for New Mexico. The Lobos opened on Monday with a 77-59 home victory against Northern Arizona. Craig had 16 points, Hooks 12 and Hargrove 11. … CU is 8-6 all-time against New Mexico. CU lost the first six in the series, all from 1975-79, but has won eight in a row. This is the first meeting between the Buffs and Lobos since an 85-53 Buffs win on Nov. 23, 2013, in Albuquerque. … CU was projected for a ninth-place finish in the Big 12 in preseason polls by coaches and media. Masogayo earned preseason all-Big 12 honors. … New Mexico was projected for a fifth-place finish in the preseason Mountain West poll, while receiving two first-place votes. Hooks was voted preseason all-conference.