Back to the dance
Colorado earns No. 6 seed, will face Middle Tennessee in first round
As a lock to make the NCAA Tournament, there should not have been many nerves from the Colorado women’s basketball team on Sunday.
Being one of the last teams revealed for the field of 68 during ESPN’S selection show did create a bit of anxiety, however.
“I just was excited to see our name pop up,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “We waited so long that a couple of our players said, ‘Are you sure we’re in?’ I’m like, ‘Yes we’re in, don’t worry.’”
The 20th-ranked Buffaloes are in, landing the No. 6 seed in the Seattle 4 region. CU (238) will face 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee (28-4) on Saturday in Durham, N.C. The time of the game will be announced on Monday.
The winner will face the winner of No. 3 seed Duke and No. 14 seed Iona on March 20. Duke is hosting the subregional.
Middle Tennessee is ranked No. 25 in the AP poll, won the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles and brings a 10-game winning streak into the matchup with CU.
The Buffs have never faced the Blue Raiders, and this will be one of only two first-round matchups between AP Top 25 teams. Both are also top 30 in the NET rankings, with CU at No. 23 and Middle Tennessee at No. 28.
“I was born in Tennessee, I have a lot of family in Tennessee, grew up hearing about Middle and have a lot of family members that went to school there,” Payne said. “So I know they’re really good. I haven’t watched them this year, but I know they’re good, so we’re excited.”
After ending a nine-year NCAA Tournament drought a year ago, the Buffs will make consecutive appearances for the first time since a four-year run from 2001-04.
“I’m very excited,” senior point guard Jaylyn Sherrod said. “Just to be a top-68 team out of 300-something is a blessing in itself. We worked for it, we played for it and I think we deserve it.”
There was never a question about the Buffs getting into this year’s tournament. The only drama — aside from the wait during the selection show — came from knowing where they’d be positioned.
Prior to the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas two weeks ago, the Buffs were projected as a No. 4 seed, which would have placed the Buffs in Boulder for the opening weekend. Even after losing in the semifinals, CU had not been projected as lower than a No. 5 seed in recent weeks by ESPN or other outlets.
“Kind of wasn’t expecting that six-seed, but at the end of the day it just gives us something else to put a chip on our shoulder,” Sherrod said.
“A pissed off Colorado team is not what anybody wants to see. I’m just excited. I think still being emotional off the Washington