Pac-12 teams are uniquely positioned for success in March. The conference plays on a Friday and Sunday game schedule in the regular season, simulating the turnaround required during the NCAA tournament. This season, many of those weekends in the Pac-12 featured tournament-level competition.
The No. 5 seed Buffaloes won’t have an easy path if they are going to make a deep run. The Albany 2 Region is largely regarded as the toughest, including Caitlin Clark and Iowa as the top seed, a UCLA team with all the pieces to win a title as the No. 2 seed, and reigning champion LSU as the No. 3 seed. Those aren’t unfamiliar opponents for Colorado, which met the Hawkeyes in last year’s Sweet 16 and toppled the Tigers on opening night this season. The Buffaloes also played a home-and-home with the Bruins in Pac-12 play, losing both meetings by single digits.
Like Oregon State, Colorado ranks in the top 25 in Her Hoop Stats offensive and defensive rating. The Buffaloes also have experience. Four of the five starters from last year’s tournament team remain, including fifth-year players Jaylyn Sherrod and Quay Miller. The fifth starter is Maddie Nolan, a transfer from Michigan who played in nine NCAA tournament games over the previous three seasons.
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