Keep in mind this was coming. JR Payne has Tara’s number. At Santa Clara JR coached up a mid-major WCC team that was just WNIT level and JR already had a notch on her belt against ‘furd. Honestly, snd realistically this should have been the Buffs 3rd won vs Stanford recently.
This program has turned the corner. The coaching staff preached to anyone that would listen that the investment in changing the culture would pay dividends. Even Carol Callan was talking on the radio this season about how things have changed, how a certain PG (and she actually named/shamed her) in recent season’s past would drive on two defenders to put up a shot off a bad angle, pursuing her individual points agenda, while this current Colorado team works to get each other into better looks, and that doesn’t always show up in the assists tally.
Maya, Jaylen and Frida are the three best Buffs since Chucky left, and the ensuing demise of the program where getting only two Conference wins became normal.
Buffs just beat the #1 ranked team in the country. JR Payne just bought herself another year and will finish her contract out now. If she can’t recruit to Pac-12 standard after this, she has to go. However, no one can ever question her coaching chops. Two wins against ‘furd with all their elite players. She can coach. Now let’s recruit.
Shoutout to Gytenbeek, Belibi, and Prechtel all three Stanford players are Colorado’s own. Very proud of all they’ve accomplished in their young careers to put themselves in a position to get a world class education.
Message to Vanderveer: JR can beat you her’n on your’n, she could easily beat you your’n on her’n. Buffs are back on track. Be warned.
Buffs may not have five star players, but this is a special group of young women, and you can never measure heart. Something the Buffs have been missing since Chucky left.