Buffs Square Off with Bearcats

Saturday, January 3

Boulder, Colo.

1:00 PM

Colorado

Cincinnati

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January 01, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Colorado Notes Cincinnati Notes Get Tickets Donate to Women's Basketball

By: Malala Pyle, Assistant Director of Athletic Communication

GAME #15 • Saturday, January 3 • 1 p.m. MT
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.
Colorado (10-4, 1-1 Big 12) vs. Cincinnati (5-9, 0-2 Big 12)
TIP: 1:02 p.m. MT
WATCH: ESPN+ (Thad Anderson, Kami Carmann) https://buffs.me/4jhNQ2E
RADIO: Colorado Radio Network, 'Denver's Talk Station' AM 630 KHOW (Cory Lopez, Carol Callan)
LISTEN ONLINE: Sirius XM 84, and on the SiriusXM App, or at https://buffs.me/4shh5GY
LIVE STATISTICS: https://buffs.me/4qD5hgM
SERIES RECORD: TIED, 1-1 (.500)
LAST MEETING: L, 65-59 (January 18, 2025 • Cincinnati, Ohio)
STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 1-1

BOULDER – The Colorado women's basketball team (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) takes on another conference opponent at home this week with Cincinnati (5-9, 0-2 Big 12) on Jan. 3 at CU Events Center at 1 p.m. MT.

The Buffs will face the Bearcats for just the third time in program history, with both teams having one win in the rivalry. CU met with UC for the first time in 2023 in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, where the Buffs won, 77-60. Last season, the Black and Gold met the Cats again in Cincinnati – CU lost by six, 65-59 (Jan. 18, 2025).

On New Year's Eve earlier this week, the Buffs hosted Arizona for their conference home opener. CU flipped the script from its previous loss to ASU, getting out ahead of the Wildcats early in the first quarter and leading the whole way. Four Buffs managed double-digit points for the eighth time this season, including senior forward Anaëlle Dutat, who had her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

TIP-OFF (TL;DR)

CU is led by 10th-year head coach JR Payne, who has led the Buffs to a 174-120 (.592) record as CU's eighth head women's basketball coach. Coach Payne has been extended through the 2028 season and has led the Buffs to three NCAA appearances, two WNIT appearances and one WBIT appearance.
In its second year back in the Big 12, Colorado was picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. Colorado is 110-150 (.423) overall in Big 12 conference play.
With the re-addition of So. F Tabitha Betson to the 2025-26 roster, the Buffs return four from last year's team, also including Sr. F Jade Masogayo, So. G Kennedy Sanders and 5th C JoJo Nworie. Betson returns from a semester at home with her family after some time to recharge.
Colorado welcomes 10 newcomers for the 2025-26 season, five transfers and five freshmen. The five transfers include Jr. G Zyanna Walker (Kansas State), Jr. G Desiree Wooten (North Texas), Jr. G Claire O'Connor (Gonzaga), Jr. G Maeve McErlane (DePaul) and Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat (Rhode Island). The five freshmen include G Erianna Gooden (Fork Smith, Ark./Northside H.S.), C Jade Crook (Albury, Australia/Basketball Australia Center of Excellence/Lake Ginninderra College), G Isa Hämäläinen (Lorentzweiler, Luxembourg/European School of Luxembourg 1), F Logyn Greer (Lansdowne, Pa./Friends' Central School) and F Sophie Zadel (San Antonio, Texas/Alamo Heights H.S).
Jr. G Zyanna Walker is seventh in conference for steals per game with 2.3. She is also 21st in the Big 12 for assists per game (2.9) and 18th for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat is third in conference for rebounds per game with 8.5 and tied for eighth for steals per game (2.1).
Fr. F Logyn Greer is tied for 20th in conference for blocks per game with 0.8. Sr. F Jade Masogayo is also tied for 20th in the same stat.
Jr. G Desiree Wooten is tied for 21st in the Big 12 for three-point field goals per game (1.5) and tied for 23rd for steals per game (1.7).
As a team, the Buffs are second in the Big 12 for steals per game (11.36), fourth for free throw percentage (73.7%), fourth for rebounding margin (8.4), fourth for offensive rebounds per game (13.6), and seventh for scoring defense (58.9).

ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' game at Cincinnati will be streamed on ESPN+. The Buffs are on the radio via the CUBuffs.com website and Varsity app for every game. The pregame show, Buffs Warm-up, starts a half-hour before tip and includes a pregame interview with Coach Payne. At halftime, stay tuned for a get-to-know interview with players and coaches. Colorado broadcasts on the iHeart Radio station, 'Denver's Talk Station' AM 630 KHOW. Available on the Varsity app. Fans can also follow Colorado games through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.

FIGURE THAT: Four Buffs scored in double-figures against the Wildcats (Dec. 31), the eighth time this season CU has had four or more players with double-digit points. Versus Arizona, Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat had 10 points, Sr. F Jade Masogayo had 13, Jr. G Zyanna Walker had 12 and Fr. F Logyn Greer had 14 points. The Buffs are 6-2 in games where four or more players are in double-figures.

MILESTONE WATCH: Sr. F Jade Masogayo has 91 career steals, nine away from 100. Jr. G Maeve McErlane has 87 rebounds, 13 away from 100. Fr. F Logyn Greer has 79 rebounds, 21 away from 100. Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat has 798 rebounds, two away from 800. Jr. G Zyanna Walker has 678 points, 22 away from 700.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING: Versus Arizona, Sr. F Anaëlle Dutat had her nine career double-double and third of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds (Dec. 31). This was the Buffs' fourth double-double across this season.

ROLLING DEEP: The Buffs have seen five different starting lineups through 14 games this season, with nine of the 14 rostered players seeing starts.

For more information on the Colorado women's basketball team, a complete schedule and results, please visit CUBuffs.com. Fans of the Buffs can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @CUBuffsWBB.