Colorado Buffaloes Injury Report Before March Madness Showdown With Illinois

Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball is barreling toward a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Mar 28, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach JR Payne answers questions during the press conference prior to their NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game at MVP Arena. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

They won't escape it unscathed, but this season has had the Colorado Buffaloes knocking on wood.

Health largely helped coach JR Payne's Buffs return to the NCAA Tournament, as only two players suffered long-term injuries. They naturally built chemistry that garnered eight wins in nine games down the stretch, a head-turning Big 12 tournament run and a ticket to the Big Dance.

Colorado Mostly Healthy Entering NCAA Tournament

Oct 21, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Coloradoís Kennedy Sanders speaks to media during Big 12 Womenís Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center. | Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images

Colorado, a No. 10 seed, faces the No. 7-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini in the Round of 64 this Saturday. Just two Buffs are listed on the injury report: guards Kennedy Sanders and Claire O'Connor, who will not return this season.

Last December, Sanders underwent season-ending hip surgery. She'd started all 10 games she appeared in before the procedure, battling through a torn labrum and hip impingement that stemmed from offseason conditioning.

Sanders entered this season as a focal point of Colorado's backcourt, averaging 9.3 points and 2.2 assists per game. She is the only remaining player from the Buffs' last appearance in March Madness, but missed that entire year as well due to a foot fracture. The redshirt sophomore is expected to apply for more eligibility after two stints on the shelf.

O'Connor was a transfer from Gonzaga who played in eight games for the Buffaloes this past fall. She last competed on Nov. 30 before a foot injury. It's sidelined her ever since, and in February, coach Payne told On SI that she would not be back this season.

Mar 6, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach JR Payne reacts to a play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at T-Mobile Center. | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

Over eight appearances, O'Connor averaged 3.6 points and 1.4 rebounds. She arrived in Boulder with a sharpshooting reputation, averaging 40.8 percent on 3-pointers the season prior, but was struggling in a limited role until the ailment.

Colorado needed to adjust, and in some ways, it still hasn't since the injuries. The Buffaloes rank third-to-last in the Big 12 in 3-point percentage, sitting at a feeble 27.6 percent.

It's been their biggest weakness, as Sanders and O'Connor were key long-distance shooters. However, their absence has allowed guards Desiree Wooten and Zyanna Walker to emerge as offensive engines. They've stepped up to lead the Buffs' scoring efforts, while guard Maeve McErlane has started 22 games as a stabilizer for the backcourt.

Where Illinois Stands For March Madness

Feb 25, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Gabbie Marshall (24) goes to the basket as Illinois Fighting Illini guard Gretchen Dolan (5) defends during the third quarter at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Illinois enters the dance without a pivotal guard of its own in Gretchen Dolan. The 5-11 junior ranked third on the team in scoring, starting 17 of the Fighting Illini's 18 games, but hasn't appeared since Feb. 1 due to a torn meniscus. She'd missed most of January as well and was announced out for the season after surgery on Feb 25.

Dolan has missed at least 15 games due to knee troubles for two straight seasons, undergoing surgery on her opposite knee after an injury in 2024. She was having a career year, averaging 12.9 points and scoring 16+ eight times, but injury struck again.

Otherwise, Illinois's bill of health is mostly clean. Both teams should be near their best despite playing through marathons of seasons, as the Buffs and Fighting Illini hang around with the nation's elite. The winner will face No. 2-seeded Vanderbilt, barring a tremendous upset from No. 15-seeded High Point.

Tip-off between Colorado and Illinois is set for 7:30 p.m. MT (8:30 local) on ESPN2.

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