Colorado Buffaloes Face Uphill Battle in Big 12 Tournament

The Buffs are the No. 11 seed and have long odds to win the conference tournament

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Colorado Buffaloes will be the No. 11 seed in the 2026 Big 12 men's basketball tournament and face a daunting task to reach the NCAA Tournament. Colorado has the second-longest odds at +50000 to win the Big 12 tournament, behind only a few other teams. The Buffs finished the regular season 17-14 overall and 7-11 in Big 12 play, struggling against the conference's elite teams.

Why it matters

Colorado's only path to the NCAA Tournament is to win the Big 12 tournament and secure the conference's automatic bid. The Buffs' at-large hopes have faded, so they'll need an improbable underdog run through the loaded Big 12 field to keep their season alive.

The details

Colorado will open the tournament against No. 14 seed Oklahoma State in the first round, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed TCU. The Buffs are led by freshman guard Isaiah Johnson, who averaged 17.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists during the regular season. For Colorado to have any chance, Johnson will need to play at an exceptionally high level.

  • The 2026 Big 12 men's basketball tournament is officially set.
  • Colorado will face Oklahoma State in the first round on Tuesday, Mar. 10.

The players

Tad Boyle

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team.

Isaiah Johnson

A freshman guard for the Colorado Buffaloes who led the team in scoring during the regular season.

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What’s next

The winner of the Colorado-Oklahoma State first-round game will face No. 6 seed TCU in the second round.

The takeaway

Colorado faces an uphill battle to reach the NCAA Tournament, needing to win the Big 12 tournament as a heavy underdog. The Buffs will rely heavily on freshman guard Isaiah Johnson to lead an improbable postseason run.