SEATTLE >> Colorado’s season came to a close on Friday night, but the Buffaloes aren’t planning to go anywhere.

An 87-77 loss to Iowa in the Sweet 16 stung in the moment and it might sting for a while, but the CU women’s basketball team is likely to use that as inspiration for its future.

“This team will definitely be back and I think everybody knows who Colorado is now,” point guard Jaylyn Sherrod said. “We’ve earned some respect behind our name. Just continue to be hungry.”

Under the direction of head coach JR Payne, the Buffs have shown a tendency to use disappointment as fuel. During her seven seasons at CU, Payne has put together a 119-93 record and the program continues to improve.

Three seasons into Payne’s tenure, the Buffs were just 44-52, and they were last in the Pac-12 in 2019. In 2020, they began the upward trajectory, going 16-14, finishing 10th in the Pac-12 and they were expecting a WNIT bid before the postseason was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A year later, in 2021, the Buffs went 12-11, finished sixth in the Pac-12 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT. Last year, they went 22-9, placed fifth in the conference and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.

Outsiders expected a step back this year. Instead, the Buffs jumped forward, going 25-9, placing third in the Pac-12 and reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years. They finished the season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press poll.

A talented roster was, of course, the key to CU’s success, but so was a loss to Creighton in the first round of the tournament a year ago.

“I thought we learned so much from last year’s experience to this year’s experience,” Payne said after Friday’s loss. “Going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in such a long time last year and losing to Creighton, who was such a great team, but still the bitter disappointment of losing in the first round we really carried that throughout the year.”

It wasn’t so much the disappointment of that loss, Payne said, but “Just the desire to not let it happen again, and to really work daily.”

A year ago, CU lost three multi-year starters to graduation, but reloaded by adding Aaronette Vonleh as a transfer from Arizona and a talented freshman class. Returners such as Quay Miller, Frida Formann and Sherrod got better, too, using that fuel of disappointment.

“We worked towards excellence every single day and I think that was driven by last year’s first round loss,” Payne said. “It’s wonderful to get to the Sweet 16. I think we’ll be disappointed that we didn’t make it to the Elite Eight because, again, we want to be great and we were great this year, but I think we’ll take that daily and we’ll talk about ways that we could have, should have been one more round deeper or what- ever.”

Before next season, the roster will change again.

Guard Tayanna Jones, who started 32 of 34 games, has exhausted her eligibility and CU has to replace her length and athleticism. Jones wasn’t a top scorer, but was a good defender who finished third on the team in rebounding (4.2 per game), first in blocks (23) and was efficient when she did shoot the ball.

Sherrod and Miller are also seniors, but the NCAA granted all players from the 2020-21 season an extra year of eligibility because of COVID. Neither has announced their intentions for next year, although it’s likely both will be back.

Asked about Sherrod after the game, Payne said, “Jaylyn is a strong, incredible woman who will weigh all options and make the best decision for herself and the program.”

The same could be said for Miller who, like Sherrod, was first-team All-Pac-12 this year.

Like just about every other team, CU could see some players enter the transfer portal, but if roster spots open up, Payne and her staff will be active in the portal. The Buffs are also adding five freshmen next year.

What won’t change is the expectation and drive of the program.

“Honestly, (this year) was just about setting the standard,” Sherrod said. “Over my four years and with coach J, we’ve always talked about setting the standard of excellence and wanting to be excellent every day. So I don’t think that’s going to change — well, at least as long as J is here, it’s not going to change because that’s what she preaches and practices.”