Colorado women's basketball team off to hot start, landing at No. 8 in the country

• They returned four of their five starters from last year, which made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.
• Graduate student guard Jaylyn Sherrod, considered the team's best player, is currently averaging 12.9 points and 5.4 assists per game.

Why it matters: The Buffs are proving their coach right. They are ranked No. 8 in the country with an 8-1 record (their only loss came against No. 10 N.C. State at a neutral site.)

Catch up quick: Since arriving, Payne is largely credited with helping turn the program around by recruiting "blue-collar" players who felt they had something to prove and improving the squad's confidence against the best teams in the country.

• The Buffs' two victories over No. 1-ranked teams, including LSU last month and Stanford in January 2021, came under Payne's tutelage.

What they're saying: "Now, we actually believe we can beat everyone in the conference and the country," Payne told the Denver Post.

What's next: The Buffs host the UT Arlington Mavericks at the CU Events Center on Tuesday at 11am.

• Tickets start at $10.