Colorado Buffaloes are dancing, selected for NCAA Tournament

The Colorado Buffaloes fell just short of capturing the Pac-12 Tournament Championship on Saturday, but the team did enough work this season to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

It was a very tough bubble for the Buffs (24-10, 13-7,) who saw a plentitude of bid-stealers plus a crunch of strong teams looking to get the last at-large spot, which is why CU was the third-to-last team to qualify. That sends Tad Boyle’s crew to Dayton, Ohio for the First Four where they will face Bosie State on Wednesday at 7:10 mountain time on Tru TV to earn the 10-seed in the South Region and a matchup against seventh-seeded Florida on Friday at 2:30.

The bracket 🙌 pic.twitter.com/X5pG3A8PlI

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2024

If the Buffs had beaten Oregon for the Pac-12 Title they would’ve avoided the First Four in Dayton. CU may be just happy to get into the field of 68 in the first place considering it took an eight-game win streak entering Saturday’s action to even get the at-large spot. Sadly for Buffs fans, the committee didn’t pick them for relativity close cities like Salt Lake City or Omaha, if they make the first round, they’ll travel to Indianapolis. But there could be quite the action back home in Boulder, where the JR Payne’s Buffs are expected to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Tournament.

The CU Men finished the Pac-12’s regular season as the third-place team. They beat Wazzu in Las Vegas for a chance at the chip and a final addition to the resume. What the Buffaloes lacked in great wins, they made up for with their strong finish. In addition, the team is full of future pros, highlighted by freshman Cody Williams, who will likely be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. There’s also All-Pac-12 First Team guard KJ Simpson and All-Pac-12 Second Team forward Tristan da Silva.

That unit will go toe-to-toe with the Broncos, who went 22-10 this season and play in the dance for the third-straight season. Forward Tyson Degenhart leads the Moutain West’s third-place team, scoring 17 points a game as a First Team conference player while forward O’Mar Stanley made the Second Team. Boise State beat Colorado in a neutral site game a season ago.

A win for Colorado on Wednesday would also mark the single-season school record at 25. Boyle had thrice led 24-win seasons for the Buffs. Boyle has led the Buffs to the tournament five times and the team has come away with two wins, never getting to the Sweet 16.

Related

Buffs land FOX, ESPN slots for next two games as spotlight growsJuJu Lewis breaks records, earns Manning Star and Big 12 Freshman of the WeekThe ‘Prime Effect’ isn’t dead: CU opener draws 3.7 millionDeion Sanders vows big Buffs issue fixed after volatile Week 1Coach Prime and the CU Buffs receive votes in the AP Top 25 pollDoes the Colorado Buffaloes coaching staff trust Julian Lewis?