- Colorado becomes first No. 16 seed to advance in Big 12 Tournament history
- West Virginia commits 7 consecutive turnovers during decisive 15-0 Buffaloes run
- Mountaineers' NET ranking (No. 41) now in jeopardy with Selection Sunday looming
In a seismic Big 12 Tournament upset, the Colorado Buffaloes (14-19) extended their Cinderella run by eliminating West Virginia 67-60 on Wednesday. The victory marks Colorado's second consecutive tournament win after defeating TCU, setting up a quarterfinal clash with top-seeded Houston. The loss leaves West Virginia (19-13) sweating their NCAA Tournament résumé despite six Quad 1 wins this season.
The game turned dramatically when West Virginia committed turnovers on seven straight possessions midway through the second half. Colorado capitalized with a 15-0 scoring burst, flipping a 46-37 deficit into a 52-46 advantage they would never relinquish. Elijah Malone spearheaded the comeback with 14 points, 12 coming after intermission, while RJ Smith's critical three-pointer with 1:47 remaining sealed the victory.
This historic upset underscores the growing parity in college basketball. Since 2010, double-digit seeds have won 23% more conference tournament games compared to previous decades, according to NCAA data. Colorado's triumph also highlights the strategic value of defensive pressure – their full-court press directly caused four turnovers during the game-changing sequence.
For West Virginia, the collapse could prove costly. Teams ranked between 35-45 in NET rankings have received NCAA at-large bids just 58% of time over the past five tournaments. The Mountaineers' early exit creates vulnerability, particularly with smaller conferences likely to produce bid-stealers this weekend.
Regional Impact: Colorado's surge comes as Mountain West Conference teams battle for NCAA positioning. While not conference rivals, the Buffaloes' success could indirectly affect bubble teams like Colorado State by demonstrating the strength of Rocky Mountain basketball programs.
