Deion Sanders praises Colorado women's basketball team for knocking off LSU
Deion Sanders brought a heightened level of attention and an unprecedented spotlight to the Colorado program when he became the head football coach in December of 2022. But a different team in Boulder is now rightfully stealing the show.
Colorado’s women’s basketball team pulled off the upset on Monday defeating the No. 1 ranked defending national champion LSU Tigers 92-78 in their first game of the season, starting off their season with an exclamation point in Las Vegas versus arguably the most talented team in the nation.
Sanders famously said ‘We Coming’ upon his arrival at Colorado, and following the impressive performance of the Lady Buffs, Coach Prime was asked if they’re coming following their big win.
“They’re coming, and we should’ve played their theme music because they’re balling,” Sanders said. “You know I’m a huge fan of their coach, Coach Payne, she’s unbelievable.”
Colorado women’s basketball coach JR Payne is in the midst of her eighth season as the Buffaloes head coach, building up the program and leading the team two consecutive 20+ win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances. And her leading the Buffaloes to a victory over the reigning national champions to start the season has surely put the entire college basketball landscape on notice, setting the tone in a strong way for the 2023-2024 season.
Sanders’ daughter Shelomi is a member of Colorado’s women’s basketball team, keeping him in tune with the program and expressing her excitement to her father following the game.
“Just to get constant feedback from my daughter who’s there and she called me late, I was already asleep, I was so tired yesterday. And she just called me screaming in the phone and so happy, and excited, and full of joy about that accomplishment,” Sanders said.
Star players like Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, and Flau’jae Johson could not slow down the Buffaloes on Monday night, who shot 53.2% from the field and 43.5% from behind the arc in the game. Frida Formann led the scoring surge for Colorado, scoring a career-high 27 points and hitting a school-record seven 3-pointers in a special night that will be remembered for quite some time in Boulder.
“That is huge, we cannot underestimate what they just did,” Sanders said. “That was huge for the program, huge for the university and women’s basketball. Hats off to ’em, I wish I could’ve been there to witness it myself, but it was a blessing.”
Colorado’s women’s basketball team will look to keep things going as they host Le Moyne in their next matchup on Wednesday, while Sanders and his squad host No. 21 Arizona this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET.