Buffaloes Unleashed: The Thrilling World of University of Colorado Athletics

FORT WORTH – Colorado kicks off 2025 with a New Year’s Day clash on Wednesday against No. 11 TCU at Schollmaier Arena (5:30 p.m. MT/ESPN+).

Wednesday will signify the inaugural encounter between CU and TCU since their first-round match-up in the 2014 WNIT. The Buffaloes hold a perfect record of 4-0 against the Horned Frogs, featuring a 101-56 victory during Colorado’s sole visit to Fort Worth in December 1993.

Colorado (10-2, 1-0) concluded 2024 with a 65-60 comeback triumph over then No. 14 West Virginia. The Buffs were down by 16 points with 3:05 remaining in the third quarter. Frida Formann tallied a game-high 22 points in the victory, earning her recognition as one of the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Association’s National Players of the Week.

TCU (13-1, 1-0) re-entered non-conference action on Sunday, defeating Brown 79-47. TCU has amassed 13 consecutive home victories leading up to Wednesday’s match. New addition Hailey Van Lith is leading TCU with an average of 18.9 points per game this season.

Five Insights to Consider

1. National Recognition – Frida Formann was among five USWBA National Players of the Week for Dec. 24. She contributed 15 of CU’s 25 points in the first half. Formann has made 22 three-pointers since rejoining the lineup, achieving four games with a minimum of three successful shots from beyond the arc.
2. Against Ranked Teams – CU’s victory over WVU marked its 71st victory against ranked teams in program history. The Buffs currently stand at 1-1 this season against ranked adversaries. Last season, CU managed a record of 5-9 against ranked teams, the highest since achieving six wins in the 2001-02 season. Under head coach JR Payne (AP & WBCA), Colorado has secured 17 wins against ranked opponents.
3. Performance Metrics – CU’s match versus TCU is the second in a series of three consecutive encounters against teams ranked in the top 20 of the NET rankings. The Buffs triumphed against WVU (ranked 9). TCU is positioned at 8, while Baylor is currently ranked 18.
4. Shooting Precision – The Buffs have achieved a shooting percentage of .500 from the field in their last five games. This marks the first occasion CU has shot .500 or better in five successive games since a streak of six games from Dec. 6-22, 1985. CU recorded a season-high shooting percentage of .571 (36-63) against Tennessee Tech. Under JR Payne , CU’s all-time record stands at 39-3 when achieving a shooting percentage of .500 or better.
5. Finish Strong! – The Buffs registered an impressive 81.8% shooting accuracy from the field (9-11) in the fourth quarter against West Virginia. This was CU’s best quarter-field goal percentage since hitting 84.6% (11-13) at SMU last season.

Quotable

“I sensed a lot of support from various individuals. With a youthful squad, one might typically see wide eyes during a timeout when trailing by 16, but that wasn’t the case. It was simply about strategy. What steps do we need to take? What’s functioning, what’s not, and emphasizing communication. Each time we exited a huddle, Frida was ensuring the group was aligned as we departed, everyone was entirely focused.” – Coach Payne on preparing a new team for the challenge against West Virginia.

Cory Lopez and Carol Callan will provide pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes before tip-off on the Colorado Radio Network.

Next Up: Jan. 4, at Baylor (ESPN+/1 p.m. MT).