Colorado set to play Oklahoma in College Basketball Crown

Colorado is headed to the College Basketball Crown for the second straight season.

The Buffaloes, finishing the year at 17-15 and 7-11 in the Big 12, are set to play the Oklahoma Sooners (19-15, SEC 7-11) on April 1. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports 1, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

It will not only be an opportunity to play more basketball, as head coach Tad Boyle hopes to retain his young core. Many are worried about whether All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Isaiah Johnson, among others, will stay in Boulder after their freshmen seasons. But after losing 92-83 to Oklahoma State on the Big 12 Championship’s first day, CU may be able to end the year on a higher note.

Additionally, $500,000 in NIL is in the prize pool; $50,000 to semifinalists, $100,000 to the runner-up and $300,000 to the champion. While not a huge prize, Black-and-Gold fans are hopeful for any NIL support their team can secure, especially for player retention.

While last year’s team won two games in the conference tournament, it lost to Villanova in the CBC’s opening round. Colorado competed without forward Sebastian Rancik (and Julian Hammond III) due to injury, and played six guys who didn’t return.

Hoping for better results this time around, the Buffs will take on the Sooners, who won two SEC tournament games before losing to their respective conference tournament champion, the Arkansas Razorbacks, by three points. Featuring four players averaging scoring numbers in the double-digits, Nijel Pack (16.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.0 APG) and Oklahoma were one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the SEC.

The winner will play either Baylor or Minnesota in the second round on April 4. That game will tip off at 11:30 a.m. MT on FS1 from T-Mobile Arena.