Colorado Women's Basketball Earns No. 6 Seed for Big 12 Tournament

Buffs Secure First-Round Bye After Tough Losses to End Regular Season

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Colorado women's basketball team secured the No. 6 seed for the Big 12 Tournament after a disappointing end to the regular season. The Buffs had a chance to clinch a higher seed but lost close games to Utah and BYU in the final week. Despite the setbacks, CU will have a first-round bye and face the winner of Kansas vs. Central Florida in the second round on Thursday.

Why it matters

Colorado was in position to earn a higher seed and double-bye for the Big 12 Tournament, but the late-season losses dropped them to the No. 6 spot. This means the Buffs will have to win an extra game to reach the quarterfinals, making their path to the championship more difficult. However, the team is hoping to put the regular season behind them and make a strong tournament run.

The details

The Buffs blew a 10-point lead in the final minutes against Utah on Tuesday, losing 67-64. Then on Saturday, they held an 8-point lead at BYU going into the fourth quarter before giving up a 25-2 run and losing 75-62. Prior to those two defeats, CU had been on a roll, going 8-1 in their previous nine games.

  • The Big 12 regular season ended on Sunday, March 2, 2026.
  • The Big 12 Tournament begins on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.
  • Colorado's first tournament game will be on Thursday, March 6, 2026 at 7 p.m. MT.

The players

JR Payne

Head coach of the Colorado women's basketball team.

Desiree Wooten

Senior player for the Colorado women's basketball team who scored a season-high 25 points in the loss to BYU.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not concerned about the future; I'm just concerned about why did it happen, you know?”

— JR Payne, Head Coach (dailycamera.com)

“It's really frustrating. We had it, and we beat three top teams (TCU, Iowa State and Texas Tech) and to lose to two of the not-top-three teams, you know, it stings. We just gotta step up, everybody.”

— Desiree Wooten, Senior Player (dailycamera.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.