Colorado Women's Basketball Upsets No. 20 Texas Tech

Buffs secure fifth straight 20-win season under coach JR Payne

Feb. 22, 2026 at 6:24pm

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The Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball team pulled off an impressive upset over the No. 20 Texas Tech Lady Raiders on Saturday night. Led by coach JR Payne, the Buffs secured their fifth consecutive 20-win season, a feat not accomplished in Boulder since the 1990s under legendary coach Ceal Barry. Colorado was led by strong performances from Zyanna Walker, Desiree Wooten, and seniors Anaëlle Dutat and Jade Masogayo on senior night.

Why it matters

Colorado's win over a ranked Texas Tech squad boosts their NCAA Tournament resume as they look to reach the Big Dance for the first time since 2024. The Buffs' sustained success under Payne has revived the program's fortunes, harkening back to the glory days of the 1990s when Barry led Colorado to the Elite Eight.

The details

The Buffs (20-8, 11-5 Big 12) were led by Zyanna Walker's 18 points, Desiree Wooten's 16 points, and 18 combined points from seniors Anaëlle Dutat and Jade Masogayo. Colorado's balanced scoring and dominant effort on the glass proved too much for the visiting Lady Raiders.

  • Colorado secured the upset win over No. 20 Texas Tech on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • The Buffs are looking to reach their first NCAA Tournament since 2024, when Jaylyn Sherrod, Aaronette Vonleh and Frida Formann led them to the Sweet 16.

The players

JR Payne

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball team, who has led the program to five straight 20-win seasons.

Anaëlle Dutat

A senior forward for the Colorado Buffaloes, who was honored on senior night along with teammate Jade Masogayo.

Jade Masogayo

A senior forward for the Colorado Buffaloes, who was honored on senior night along with teammate Anaëlle Dutat.

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What they’re saying

“I'm just really excited with how we played tonight on senior night. You always want to win, we always want to play well, but to do it on senior night against a ranked team in the way that we did, to finish so strong and have so many people contribute. I haven't seen the stats, but I think we had a really balanced scoring night with many different people contributing in double figures, and our effort on the glass was unbelievable. It's really cool that we could get the win for our seniors.”

— JR Payne, Head Coach, Colorado Buffaloes (CU)

What’s next

The Buffs will look to continue their strong season with two regular season games remaining, first hosting the Utah Utes on Tuesday, February 25th, followed by a trip to Provo to take on the BYU Cougars on Saturday, March 1st.

The takeaway

Colorado's upset victory over a ranked Texas Tech squad showcases the program's resurgence under coach JR Payne, recapturing the success of the 1990s teams led by legendary coach Ceal Barry. The Buffs' balanced scoring and dominant rebounding performance on senior night bodes well for their NCAA Tournament aspirations as they aim to secure their first Big Dance berth since 2024.