The Colorado Buffaloes are off to a 2-0 start after defeating the Northern Colorado Bears in a Thursday night clash. The Buffs won 81-66, a more decisive and free-flowing game than their sluggish road win over Wyoming earlier in the week.
Led by Kindyll Wetta's 10 assists, the Buffs played terrific team basketball as they sliced up UNC's zone defense. These women barely know each, as half the roster transferred in over the summer, but that hardly showed. Wetta was aggressive on the drive, transfers Jade Masogayo and Nyamer Diew were in the right place at the right time, and freshman Tabitha Betson looks superb as a do-everything power forward.
And because this is a JR Payne team, Colorado's real success was creating turnovers on defense and turning stops into transition points. We all know and love Wetta, but it was even more exciting to see Masogayo and Diew fit immediately into this team's identity. They're long, athletic and have great vision in the open floor. Masogayo also got to show off her mid-range game, while Diew looked comfortable taking and making a couple threes.
Of course there are things this team will need to improve in the coming months. The team chemistry looks good considering the situation, but 16 turnovers was a bit too many considering the Bears look quite poor on defense. Shooting 7/20 from three (and 1/10 against Wyoming) is also not a good start, even if that can be excused as Frida Formann is working her way back into the team.
That said, the new players seem to fit Payne's basketball vision, the underclassmen look promising, and this team will only get better when Formann returns and everyone feels more comfortable together.