Underdog Buffs continue to exceed expectations
DURHAM, N.C. >> Watching them celebrate with the band, cheerleaders, Chip and their family and friends Monday night, it’s clear the Colorado women’s basketball players love their supporters.
The Buffaloes may not be where they are today without their naysayers, however.
Playing at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, the sixth- seeded and 21stranked Buffaloes upset the third-seeded and 13thranked Blue Devils, 61-53, in overtime on Monday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
CU (25- 8) has punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003. In a matchup expected by very few, CU will face secondseeded Iowa (28- 6) on Friday in Seattle (5 p.m. MT, ESPN) in the Seattle 4 regional semifinals. Ranked No. 3, the Hawkeyes were expected to be here.
CU? Not so much.
“We’re the ultimate underdog,” CU head coach JR Payne said after Monday’s win. “We were picked eighth (in the Pac-12), we finished third. Everyone — everyone — had us out of their bracket, had us losing in the first round almost.”
A year ago, the Buffs reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years, but then lost their best player (Mya Hollingshed) and two other multi-year starters to graduation. Many expected a step back from the Buffs, but they’ve continued to elevate the program.
Even as they proved they were as good, if not better, than last year, the Buffs were picked by many to lose to 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee in the first round. The Buffs routed the Blue Raiders, 82-60, leading by as many as 31 points. CU was a clear underdog against the host Blue Devils on Monday.
Payne said that at the beginning of the year and throughout the season, the Buffs never talked about getting to this point. But they also never wavered in their self-confidence.
“We have this, just, innate belief in ourselves that we’re better than everyone thinks we are and we’ve been able to shut down the doubters,” Payne said. “We’ve been able to prove people wrong all year long. So I’m really proud of our ability to just, in the face of adversity, we just keep pouring into each other and I think that’s why we’re doing so well.”
There was a mix of jubilation and confidence among the Buffs after Monday’s win, but there was also a splash of awe that they’re moving on.
“Oh, it is surreal,” junior Frida Formann said.
Formann then added, “When I woke up this morning, I was pretty certain that we were going to win this. It’s not that I’m surprised we won. I think it’s just that you want it so bad, you think about it every day. It becomes kind of an obsession and it’s finally happening.
“It’s not a relief, because we have more to do, but it feels amazing to be able to accomplish it. I mean, that’s what you do it for.”
Payne admits that, on paper, CU’S run is a surprise. After all, of the 16 teams remaining, only two are seeded lower than the Buffs — No. 8 Ole Miss in the Seattle 4 region and No. 9 Miami in the Greenville 2 region.
“But, I think we can beat anybody,” Payne said. “We think we can beat anybody and I think we do a great job as a program, including players, coaches, everybody, of not really thinking big picture.”
CU is very detail-oriented and focused on each boxout, each screen, each defensive assignment.
“We feel like if we do those things — if we can execute a scout, if we can play harder than our opponent every night, if we can whatever — then we give ourselves a great chance against anyone,” Payne said.
That mentality shows up in the toughest of moments for the Buffs.
In previous years, the Buffs of ten had difficulty rallying from tough stretches in games. The ability to do it this year has become almost a trademark of the 2022-23 Buffs.
On Monday, they led 15-2 out of the gates, but coughed up the lead in the third quarter. They regained the lead, lost it again, but kept battling and outscored the Blue Devils 15-3 in the last 6:21 of the game.
“I think we just have a really good group,” Formann said. “We’ve kind of found a way to pick each other up. We have a really good bond. You have a team where it’s like that. Not everyone is best friends off the court, but we all have each other’s back and I think sometimes it just takes a while to get to that point where you really connect that way.”
CU will have to connect and lean on each other at least one more time as it looks up upset the Hawkeyes. Naturally, CU won’t be expected to win, but that won’t stop them from believing they will win.
“This feels really big right now and then it’s just on to Iowa,” Formann said. “The more you win, the more you want it because it comes closer. No slowing down now.”