Buffs to face Sooners in CBC first round
- Matt Spivack
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
After being eliminated in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, the Colorado Buffaloes (17-15, 7-11 Big 12) have a chance to end the season on a good note at the College Basketball Crown.
The Buffs kick off the tournament against the Oklahoma Sooners (19-15, 7-11 SEC) on Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This will be the first meeting between these two schools in 15 years, the first time since they both competed in the Big 12 conference. The Sooners and Buffaloes have a storied history, battling against each other almost every year from 1947 to 2011. Oklahoma has dominated Colorado over the years, holding an 88-49 all-time record against the Buffs.
Heading into this matchup, the Sooners have the upper hand once again. Despite the two programs finishing with the same conference record in their respective conferences, Oklahoma was the first team out of March Madness, and the Buffs were far from an at-large bid.
The Buffaloes have had a rough couple of weeks, losing three of their last four games, including the first-round loss in the Big 12 Tournament. On top of that, the Buffs are losing three of their best players, as forwards Bangot Dak, Sebastian Rancik and guard Isaish Johnson announced that they are entering the transfer portal.
The Daily Camera’s Pat Rooney reported on X that head coach Tad Boyle said Dak, Rancik and Johnson will not play in the CBC, but all 12 other members will make the trip to Las Vegas.
Unlike Colorado, Oklahoma is riding momentum, entering the tournament winning six of its last seven games, including two wins in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Sooners beat a March Madness team in Texas A&M in the second round and lost a nail-biter to the eventual SEC Champion Arkansas Razorbacks in the third round.
The Sooners’ offense is led by guards Nijel Pack and Xzayvier Brown, who average 16.5 and 15 points per game, respectively.
Pack was an offensive machine for the Sooners in the SEC tournament, scoring 63 points and dishing out 10 assists over the three-game span. The 5-foot-10 senior is an experienced college player, spending two seasons with the Kansas State Wildcats (2020-2022) and three seasons with the Miami Hurricanes (2022-2025).
Brown does it all, grabbing three rebounds and dishing out three assists per game. He leads the team in minutes per game (31.9) and free throw percentage (88.5 percent). He elevated his all-around abilities at the SEC tournament, recording eleven points, six rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
Missing three of its season starters, the Colorado coaching staff will have a chance to play younger and less experienced guys. Expect to see freshman guards Ian Inman, Josiah Sanders and Jalin Holland play extended minutes. In the frontcourt, this game is a chance for freshmen centers Leonardo Van Elswyk and Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola to play a bigger role for the Buffs defensively and on the boards.
One advantage Colorado brings into this game is experience at this tournament. Center Elijah Malone and forward Felix Kossaras started in Colorado’s game against Villanova last year. Malone dominated, recording 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 70 percent from the floor in 32 minutes. Although Kossaras didn't have the best shooting night, nine points on 3-of-8 shooting, he gave his all on the defensive end in a team-high 34 minutes.
The winner of the game will play either the Baylor Bears or the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the semifinals on April 4.
The Buffs and Sooners meet on Wednesday at 6 p.m MT at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the first game of the 2026 College Basketball Crown (FS1).