Thursday, March 20
7 p.m.
Colorado
vs
Southeastern Louisiana
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Buffs Open WBIT vs SLU on Thursday: Five Things to Know
March 19, 2025 | Women's Basketball
No. 1 seeded Colorado returns to the CU Events Center for postseason action
BOULDER – Colorado women's basketball returns to the CU Events Center, opening the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) on Thursday (7 p.m.). The No. 1 seeded Buffaloes will host the Southland Conference regular season champions, Southeastern Louisiana.
Thursday will be the second meeting between CU and SLU. The Buffaloes and Lady Lions previously met in 2016-17, during head coach JR Payne's first season in Boulder. Colorado trounced SLU that day, 112-54, starting the season 7-0. Payne and the Buffs finished that first season with a postseason trip to the WNIT.
Colorado (20-12) played three games in three days in the Big 12 Championship, helping secure its spot in the WBIT. The Buffs, the tournament's nine-seed, defeated Houston and Arizona before going down to the wire with top-seeded and eventual tournament champion TCU.
Southeastern Louisiana (26-5) put together a 19-game winning streak this season on its way to the Southland Conference regular season title. The Lady Lions advanced to the SLC tournament championship with a win over Incarnate Word. The Lady Lions fell short of the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, dropping the final to Stephen F. Austin.
Five Things to Know
Quotable
"We are really excited to be playing. I said to our team before and after the selection show that any team playing in March should be honored to be playing in March. There are a lot of teams that are no longer playing, and after this weekend, there will be even more teams that aren't playing. We are really excited." – Head coach JR Payne said about the WBIT.
Thad Anderson and Kami Carmann Snyder will have the call on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. MT.
Cory Lopez and Carol Callan will have pregame coverage starting 30 minutes before tip-off on the Colorado Radio Network.
Up Next: Thursday's winner will take on the advancing team out of Gonzaga or UTSA on Sunday, March 23.
Thursday will be the second meeting between CU and SLU. The Buffaloes and Lady Lions previously met in 2016-17, during head coach JR Payne's first season in Boulder. Colorado trounced SLU that day, 112-54, starting the season 7-0. Payne and the Buffs finished that first season with a postseason trip to the WNIT.
Colorado (20-12) played three games in three days in the Big 12 Championship, helping secure its spot in the WBIT. The Buffs, the tournament's nine-seed, defeated Houston and Arizona before going down to the wire with top-seeded and eventual tournament champion TCU.
Southeastern Louisiana (26-5) put together a 19-game winning streak this season on its way to the Southland Conference regular season title. The Lady Lions advanced to the SLC tournament championship with a win over Incarnate Word. The Lady Lions fell short of the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, dropping the final to Stephen F. Austin.
Five Things to Know
- WBIT – The WBIT is in its second year of existence. The creation of the WBIT ensures that the NCAA provides equitable postseason opportunities for women's basketball, similar to that of men's basketball, which was a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equity Report. Illinois won the inaugural 32-team tournament in 2024.
- No. 1 Seed – Colorado was awarded a No. 1 seed in the WBIT, meaning the Buffs were among the "first four out" of the NCAA Tournament. CU has been a No. 1 in postseason play once previously, earning the top seed in the Midwest Region of the 1995 NCAA Tournament.
- Fifth Straight – Colorado's appearance in the WBIT marks its fifth straight postseason tournament. CU went to the WNIT in 2021 and followed with three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. It is the second-longest streak in program history, having gone to six straight NCAA Tournaments from 1992-97.
- 20W – CU has 20 wins for the fourth consecutive season. It's the 22nd time CU has reached 20 wins in program history. The four straight seasons mark the longest streak since 2000-01 to 2003-04.
- Home Floor – As the No. 1 seed, Colorado gets to host the early-round games. The Buffs went 14-2 this season at the CU Events Center. The tournament will shift to Hinkle Field House at Butler University for the semifinals and championship rounds.
Quotable
"We are really excited to be playing. I said to our team before and after the selection show that any team playing in March should be honored to be playing in March. There are a lot of teams that are no longer playing, and after this weekend, there will be even more teams that aren't playing. We are really excited." – Head coach JR Payne said about the WBIT.
Thad Anderson and Kami Carmann Snyder will have the call on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. MT.
Cory Lopez and Carol Callan will have pregame coverage starting 30 minutes before tip-off on the Colorado Radio Network.
Up Next: Thursday's winner will take on the advancing team out of Gonzaga or UTSA on Sunday, March 23.
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