As a lock to make the NCAA Match, there mustn’t have been many nerves from the Colorado girls’s basketball staff on Sunday.
Being one of many final groups revealed for the sphere of 68 throughout ESPN’s choice present did create a bit of tension, nevertheless.
“I simply was excited to see our identify pop up,” CU head coach JR Payne mentioned. “We waited so lengthy that a few our gamers mentioned, ‘Are you positive we’re in?’ I’m like, ‘Sure we’re in, don’t fear.’”
The Twentieth-ranked Buffaloes are in, touchdown the No. 6 seed within the Seattle 4 area. CU (23-8) will face Eleventh-seeded Center Tennessee (28-4) on Saturday in Durham, N.C. The time of the sport might be introduced on Monday.
The winner will face the winner of No. 3 seed Duke and No. 14 seed Iona on March 20. Duke is internet hosting the subregional.
Center Tennessee is ranked No. 25 within the AP ballot, received the Convention USA common season and match titles and brings a 10-game successful streak into the matchup with CU.
The Buffs have by no means confronted the Blue Raiders, and this might be considered one of solely two first-round matchups between AP High 25 groups. Each are additionally high 30 within the NET rankings, with CU at No. 23 and Center Tennessee at No. 28.
“I used to be born in Tennessee, I’ve loads of household in Tennessee, grew up listening to about Center and have loads of members of the family that went to high school there,” Payne mentioned. “So I do know they’re actually good. I haven’t watched them this 12 months, however I do know they’re good, so we’re excited.”
After ending a nine-year NCAA Match drought a 12 months in the past, the Buffs will make consecutive appearances for the primary time since a four-year run from 2001-04.
“I’m very excited,” senior level guard Jaylyn Sherrod mentioned. “Simply to be a top-68 staff out of 300-something is a blessing in itself. We labored for it, we performed for it and I believe we deserve it.”
There was by no means a query concerning the Buffs moving into this 12 months’s match. The one drama – apart from the wait in the course of the choice present – got here from realizing the place they’d be positioned.
Previous to the Pac-12 match in Las Vegas two weeks in the past, the Buffs had been projected as a No. 4 seed, which might have positioned the Buffs in Boulder for the opening weekend. Even after shedding within the semifinals, CU had not been projected as decrease than a No. 5 seed in current weeks by ESPN or different retailers.
“Type of wasn’t anticipating that six-seed, however on the finish of the day it simply offers us one thing else to place a chip on our shoulder,” Sherrod mentioned. “A pissed off Colorado staff is just not what anyone desires to see. I’m simply excited. I believe nonetheless being emotional off the Washington State loss (within the semifinals), as properly, simply has put us ready the place we’re simply hungry to get after it and be on the courtroom once more.”
CU constructed a powerful resume all through the season, together with three wins in opposition to groups that had been ranked within the high 15 nationally on the time. The Buffs additionally had two common season wins in opposition to Pac-12 match champion Washington State and defeated WAC champion Southern Utah. The Buffs went 7-7 in opposition to groups within the NCAA area.
After ending third within the Pac-12 in the course of the common season – this system’s greatest convention end since 2004 – the Buffs reached the convention match semifinals. Now, they bring about a measure of confidence into their second straight NCAA Match.
“It’s actually thrilling as a result of it’s every part I’ve wished from the faculty expertise,” mentioned junior guard Frida Formann, who got here to CU from Denmark practically three years in the past. “I actually wished to be a part of March Insanity. Once I go dwelling I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m actually doing every part that I actually wish to do,’ and I’m simply so joyful that it’s with this staff that I actually do love and revel in enjoying with.”
In its historical past, CU is 17-14 within the NCAA Match, however has misplaced 4 straight since reaching the Candy 16 in 2003. Regardless of being the upper seed in every of its final three NCAA Match appearances (2004, 2013 and 2022), CU has been knocked out within the first spherical every time.
Senior Quay Miller mentioned the Buffs might be able to go on Saturday, nevertheless.
“It’s type of surreal within the second,” she mentioned of seeing the Colorado identify on the display screen. “You’re similar to, ‘OK, our season is just not over. We have now much more basketball to play.’ And I believe that’s simply what actually went via my thoughts, simply with the ability to put together myself for an additional sport in opposition to a staff I do know nothing about.
“(Going for a second straight 12 months), I believe that it exhibits that we’ve the potential to be nice and we’re simply attempting to attempt for that each sport and each follow.”
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