Colorado toes thin line to March with momentum in hand
- Xavier Michnewicz
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
After back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, the Colorado Buffaloes have gone from a March mainstay to familiar outsiders.
Last season, the Buffaloes just missed the cut, and this season looks familiar. In ESPN’s March Madness Bracketology, the Buffaloes are listed in the ‘ First Four Out’ category, meaning they’re on the inside looking in for the second straight year.
However, after earning its season’s first two road wins in the Sunflower state, head coach JR Payne’s squad has momentum on its side. Payne and the Buffaloes have two opportunities at home to bolster their resume, with two ranked squads traveling to the CU Events Center.
Hosting No. 20 West Virginia and No. 14 TCU gives Colorado a chance to climb the NET rankings and add Quad 1 wins. Currently, the Buffaloes hold one Quad 1 victory — earned against Oklahoma State before the Kansas trip, and sit 45th in the NCAA’s NET rankings.
Playing tough teams at home is actually positive, especially with an 11-1 home record overall and an unblemished mark during conference play. While the Buffaloes have struggled on the road, their remaining three games are extremely favorable.
Colorado will travel to Houston and Arizona, teams with a combined record of 2-18 in the Big 12. The Buffaloes will close out the season in Provo against the BYU Cougars, who have not been the best at home, 3-3 in conference play.
Payne and the Buffaloes know the math is unforgiving. It’ll take road wins, upset victories and big performances for a March push. Here’s a look at Colorado’s must-win games with eight bouts remaining on its schedule.
“We’re just all trying to continue to do our job to the best of our ability,” Payne said on Monday. “The opponent is just our opportunity.”
Vs. No. 20 West Virginia Mountaineers (18-5, 8-3 Big 12)
As the Buffaloes return home to face the Mountaineers, a win could kick-start a March push. Despite the rankings, Colorado and West Virginia share similar statistics. Both teams are defense-focused, ranking fifth and sixth in the Big 12 in points allowed per game. Scoring is also even between the two, with each team having three or more players averaging double figures. The Buffaloes must upset the Mountaineers to strengthen their March case.
@ Houston Cougars (7-14, 1-9 Big 12)
Losing to Houston would be detrimental for the Buffaloes. Colorado has already suffered a road loss to a weaker team in UCF and cannot afford another. The Cougars score the fewest points per game in the conference, have the worst field-goal percentage and turn the ball over nearly 20 times per game. It’s not a matter of if the Buffaloes will win — it’s whether Colorado will play down to Houston’s level.
Vs. No. 18 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (21-3, 8-3 Big 12)
While it’s not until Colorado’s third-to-last game, a win against Texas Tech could be exactly what’s needed to bolster the March resume. The Lady Raiders were undefeated until recently, losing three of their last five games. If that trend continues, based on the teams Texas Tech has beaten and lost to, the Buffaloes could catch them at a favorable time.