Colorado women’s basketball move within top five in Latest AP Top 25 Poll

JR Payne's team doing big things in Boulder heading into 2024

CU Buffs

A new year with a new ranking for the Colorado women’s basketball team. 

Following an 11-point win over then No. 12 Utah on Saturday, the Buffaloes (11-1, 1-0 Pac-12) moved up three spots to No. 5 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Women’s Basketball Poll released Monday. 

South Carolina sits atop the poll, followed by No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 NC State, and No. 4 Iowa. The Wolfpack are the only team to defeat the Buffaloes this season, handing them a 78-60 loss on November 25 at the U.S Virgin Islands Women’s Paradise Jam. Colorado is one of five Pac-12 teams ranked in the AP Top 25. JR Payne’s squad is back in action Friday, January 5 at Arizona (9-4). Buffs guard Jaylyn Sherrod threw up a career-high 34 points against Utah, earning ESPN Player of the Week honors.  

As for Tad Boyle's, a pair of wins over Washington and Washington State this weekend were not enough to break back into the AP Top 25 Men’s Basketball Poll. Colorado (11-2, 2-0 Pac-12) had remained unranked since the November 27's poll release, despite the Buffaloes winning all six games they played in December. This included a 90-63 win over then No. 15 Miami in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase. Boyle and company begin the new year with a huge matchup at No. 10 Arizona on Thursday, January 4. 

Colorado is 16-24 all-time against Arizona and hasn’t won in Tucson since 1965. The longest current road losing streak against a conference opponent.