CU Buffs men's basketball to face Oklahoma State in Big 12 tournament

Colorado locked into No. 11 seed, will play 14th-seeded Oklahoma State in first round

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team has been locked into the No. 11 seed for the upcoming Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. They will face 14th-seeded Oklahoma State in the final first-round game on Tuesday at T-Mobile Center.

Why it matters

The Buffs and Cowboys faced off earlier this season, with Colorado defeating Oklahoma State 83-69 on February 21. The winner of Tuesday's matchup will advance to play sixth-seeded TCU in the second round on Wednesday.

The details

Colorado's tournament fate was sealed on Saturday when Arizona State lost to Iowa State, locking the Buffs into the No. 11 seed. Oklahoma State landed at the 14th seed after losing to No. 7 Houston, while Baylor's win over last-place Utah gave the Bears the 13th seed. CU defeated Oklahoma State in the teams' only regular season meeting.

  • The Big 12 tournament will take place next week in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • CU and Oklahoma State will play their first-round game on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. MT.
  • The winner will advance to play TCU in the second round on Wednesday, March 13.

The players

Colorado Buffaloes

The men's basketball team from the University of Colorado, competing in the Big 12 Conference.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

The men's basketball team from Oklahoma State University, also competing in the Big 12 Conference.

Isaiah Johnson

A true freshman guard for the Colorado Buffaloes who set the program's single-season scoring record for a freshman with 526 points.

Jalin Holland

A Colorado Buffaloes freshman who had consecutive double-figure scoring games for the first time in his career.

Elijah Malone

A senior center for the Colorado Buffaloes who will require offseason surgery on a shoulder injury that has bothered him for much of the season.

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What they’re saying

“That's not easy to come by, being able to break that record. So I'm just thankful for that, thankful for my coaches and teammates for being able to put me in that position.”

— Isaiah Johnson (timescall.com)

What’s next

The winner between Colorado and Oklahoma State will play sixth-seeded TCU in the second round of the Big 12 tournament on Wednesday, March 13.

The takeaway

The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team has secured the No. 11 seed in the upcoming Big 12 tournament, setting up a first-round matchup with 14th-seeded Oklahoma State. This game will be a rematch of the teams' regular season meeting, which Colorado won, and the winner will advance to face TCU in the second round.