In Boulder, Colorado, Julian Hammond III led Colorado to a commanding victory over TCU, finishing the game with 19 points. The Buffaloes emerged victorious with a final score of 76-56 in what marked the conclusion of the Big 12 Conference regular-season on Saturday. Providing crucial contributions from the bench, RJ Smith added 12 points. Additionally, Bangot Dak chipped in 10 points, further bolstering Colorado’s performance. Colorado’s record stands at 12-19 for the season and 13-17 in conference play, entering the postseason tournament as the 16th seed. The tournament kicks off on Tuesday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
For TCU, Trazarien White delivered a strong performance with 21 points, while Noah Reynolds contributed 12 points in the effort. Despite their determined play, the Horned Frogs missed the opportunity to secure a first-round bye with their loss. As the results from other games will affect their seeding, TCU will enter the tournament seeded anywhere between ninth and 11th.
The matchup had its share of ups and downs. At halftime, Colorado held a 37-31 lead which they extended to a 51-39 advantage thanks to a three-pointer by Hammond with just over 15 minutes remaining in the game. TCU responded with an impressive 11-0 run, which began and concluded with a pair of free throws from White, drawing the score to 51-50. With just over 10 minutes left, Colorado reclaimed their momentum when Smith hit a jumper, marking the Buffaloes’ first points in five minutes. This sparked an 11-0 run by Colorado as TCU struggled to score.
This victory signifies Colorado’s first win by more than 20 points since their December 21st game against Bellarmine, which ended 79-55. Meanwhile, TCU has now dropped its last two games and four of its last five, adding pressure as they head into the conference tournament.
