Colorado are hoping they’ll have their star in Kansas City
With the Big 12 tournament starting in less than a week, the Buffaloes are hopeful to get healthy before tip-off in Kansas City.
Colorado has been without star guards Frida Formann and Sara-Rose Smith for multiple weeks. Formann, CU’s program leader in three-pointers made, has missed eight games with a stress fracture in her right foot. Smith, who’s the program leader in total rebound percentage, has missed five games with an undisclosed injury.
Both Formann and Smith checked in for one second on their senior night win over Arizona State on Wednesday, before getting pulled immediately after a timeout from coach JR Payne.
Currently ranked 65th in NET, with an outside chance of making it to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament, Colorado will need to go on a run at their conference tournament next week to go dancing.
Unfortunately, the status of both Formann and Smith is unclear ahead of the Buffaloes’ trip to Kansas City. When asked about the chance of Formann and Smith being back, Payne expressed some optimism about her stars returning.
“We are certainly hopeful,” said Payne when asked about the possibility of Formann and Smith playing in the Big 12 Tournament.
Colorado has one regular season game remaining against Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday, March 1st. With a win over the Red Raiders, the Buffs would secure the 7th seed and a first-round bye at the T-Mobile Center.
The Big 12 Tournament begins play, hopefully with the inclusion of Formann and Smith, on Wednesday, March 5th.