2020 Pac-12 Basketball: Tournament Bracket Takes Shape

2020 Pac-12 Basketball: Tournament Bracket Takes Shape

The 2020 Pac-12 Tournament bracket has taken shape after another crazy week of Pac-12 Basketball. Oregon showed why they are the favorites to win this week’s tournament in Las Vegas, while last-place Washington shocked both Arizona and Arizona State. Officiating took some of the spotlight as teams jockeyed for position in the conference tournament.

Oregon Cements Front-Runner Status Ahead of Pac-12 Tournament

Oregon defended their home court against California and Stanford, and they are looking like the frontrunners in Las Vegas this week. Payton Pritchard has had a great senior season, and is the favorite to win Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Pritchard should also be included in conversations for the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award. He has averaged 20.5 points per game this season and shot 46.8 percent from the field. Pritchard has been one of the most efficient players and will have a chance to lead his team to a second straight Pac-12 Tournament Championship this week.

USC Beats UCLA, Teams Could Meet Again In Pac-12 Tournament Semis

USC and UCLA played in a classic defensive duel on Saturday. With one second remaining Jonah Mathews made a 3-point shot in his last game at the Galen Center. USC got a much-needed win that helps their cause on Selection Sunday. UCLA is squarely on the bubble, but this loss does not diminish the turnaround they have had this season. The Bruins will be the two seed in Las Vegas, and USC will be the three seed. These teams could meet again in the Pac-12 semis. Both USC and UCLA can cement their tournament bids by winning games in the Pac-12 Tournament. However, both the Bruins and Trojans will face nerve wracking Selection Sundays if they are unable to get at least one win in Las Vegas.  

Washington Shocks Both Arizona State and Arizona On Road

Washington poses a threat in the Pac-12 Tournament next week. They played excellent against both Arizona State and Arizona. They won both these games by playing the types of games their opponents are used to playing. The Huskies may also be getting back point guard Quade Green, who was declared academically ineligible in January. It is unclear if Green will play in the Pac-12 Tournament. If he does, he will add another dimension to a suddenly dangerous Husky team. Washington is considered a dark horse to win the Pac-12 Tournament but will have to do so as the last place team in the conference. Also, they have to play Arizona again on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Arizona State Backs Their Way into Pac-12 Tournament First Round Bye

Arizona State took a huge step back against Washington, but they were able to beat Washington State on Saturday. A point of concern in ASU’s victory against the Cougars is that they relinquished a 17-point lead in the second half. They were able to make enough plays to get a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament, but the Sun Devils are also not a lock to make the Tournament field.

Arizona Tournament Bound, But Struggles Showing

Arizona has done enough to make the tournament, but they have struggled during the back end of the season. The Wildcats are 1-4 in their last five games, with their only win coming last Thursday against Washington State at home. Their offensive woes have shown, as they only had five made field goals in the first half of their 69-63 loss against Washington. Arizona is like a lot of teams in the conference, as they do not have one player that can elevate them to victory on a consistent basis. Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji, who are both freshmen, have shown why they were top recruits at Arizona. However, they have not been able to lift the Wildcats to victory lately.

Colorado Is Simply Searching For Answers

The Buffaloes lost a controversial overtime game at Utah 74-72. Up 72-71, McKinley Wright was called for a foul on Utah guard Both Gach’s three-point shot. It was unclear if Wright even made contact with Gach on the play. However, Wright missed a pivotal free throw on the previous sequence. If Wright makes the first free throw, the Buffaloes get a chance to possibly go up by three points.

The Buffaloes were having a dream season, but a four-game losing streak has left them searching for answers. In reality, they ended the 2020 Pac-12 conference season with the same record (10-8) they had last year. This team is tournament-bound due to their performance in non-conference play, namely their win against a possible 1-seed in Dayton. However, they need to recapture the swagger they played with in January and the early part of February to have any shot at making noise in the postseason.

However, it is frustrating that the result of this game was basically determined on an official’s call at the end of overtime. Teams such as Colorado had everything to play for this past weekend, and the officials took center stage. Critical junctures in seasons call for players to perform at their best, and the Pac-12 needs to make sure their officials are performing at their best this week in the Pac-12 Tournament. Let the conference champion be determined by good basketball, not bad officiating.

Non-Conference Wins Difference for Presumptive Tournament Locks In Pac-12

Teams such as Stanford and UCLA are in precarious positions because they do not have a non-conference win that stands out. UCLA’s best win arguably was their road win against Colorado in Boulder, and Stanford’s best win is against Oregon at home. However, multiple teams, including Washington State and Oregon State, beat Oregon at home this season. There has been so much parity in Pac-12 conference play, that the teams that are considered safe bets to make the tournament are in that position because of how they performed in non-conference play. Oregon has huge wins against Seton Hall and Michigan. Colorado has a huge win against Dayton. Arizona has a quality non-conference win against Illinois.

The Pac-12 will get at least five teams into the tournament, but there are four teams (Arizona State, USC, UCLA, and Stanford) that face an uncertain Selection Sunday at this point. All four of these teams have arguments to get in the field, but some of their bubbles may burst on Selection Sunday. However, every team in the conference has a chance to make the tournament by winning the Pac-12 Tournament this week. With all the parity that has presided over the conference this season, it should be a fun tournament this week.

2020 Pac-12 Basketball: UCLA, USC Trending Upward

colorado buffaloes Pac-12 basketball vs oregon

This week in 2020 Pac-12 Basketball belonged to the home team. Across the league, the home team went 9-1 in the 10 games played between Wednesday (2/25) and Sunday (3/1). Teams such as UCLA, USC, and Stanford were given huge boosts to their tournament hopes. However, teams that established themselves as tournament contenders, such as Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State, had weekends to forget.

Here are the conference standings after the past week of play:

UCLA 12-5 (Overall 19-11)

Oregon 11-5 (22-7)

Arizona State 10-6 (19-10)

Colorado 10-7 (21-9)

USC 10-7 (21-9)

Arizona 9-7 (19-10)

Stanford 9-7 (20-9)

California 7-9 (13-16)

Washington State 6-10 (15-14)

Utah 6-11 (15-14)

Oregon State 5-11 (15-13)

Washington 3-13 (13-16)

UCLA’s 7-Game Winning Streak Propels Them to First Place in 2020 Pac-12 Basketball

UCLA’s weekend got off to a great start against Arizona State on Thursday. Freshman guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit a game-winning three with 0.6 seconds left to lift the Bruins to a 75-72 victory. Then on Saturday, they pulled away late against Arizona and won 69-64. The same UCLA team that has the worst loss in non-conference play, to Cal State Fullerton, is now in first place in the Pac-12. Mick Cronin has arguably become a shoe-in for Pac-12 Coach of the Year. The Bruin’s turnaround is great for the conference, as they are one of the most nationally-recognized names in the Pac-12.

It is interesting to think about how the conference is viewed as a whole, because they are the first place team that lost to Cal State Fullerton. Still, the Pac-12 has some good non-conference wins as a conference. Washington, who has the worst record in the conference, has arguably the best non-conference win against Baylor.   

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Tournament Chances: Trending Up – UCLA has made their case for March, but they have a massive game on Saturday against USC at the Galen Center. Winning this game will give UCLA a share of the 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season title. If they are able to show up in the conference tournament, they may need to get to the conference championship to cement their spot in the tournament.

Oregon Beats In-State Rival, Frontrunners for 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season Title

Oregon will get overshadowed by the weeks UCLA and USC had, but the Ducks took care of business against Oregon State 69-54. The Ducks broke their three-game losing streak against the Beavers, as they will attempt to get at least a share of the conference title. Oregon has home games against California and Stanford this week. They are undefeated at home, boasting a 15-0 record at Matthew Knight Arena this season.

Tournament Chances: In the field – Oregon has quality wins in non-conference play. They are near the top of the standings in the Pac-12. The main question for the Ducks is where they will be positioned in the bracket.

Arizona State Takes a Step Back In LA Road Trip

The Sun Devils went toe-to-toe with UCLA Thursday night but were beat at the buzzer. They trailed for most of the game Saturday against USC. Arizona State is an exciting team to watch, and Bobby Hurley has done a great job to get this team on the right side of the bubble. However, losing two straight is a bit of a letdown after their seven-game winning streak.

Tournament Chances: Decent – The Sun Devils will need to take care of business this week against Washington and Washington State, but they should be in the tournament. They are 6-1 at home in-conference, including a resume-boosting win against Oregon. Expect to see the Sun Devils in an 8-vs-9 or 7-vs-10 game.

Colorado Buffaloes Have Worst Week of 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season in Bay Area

The Buffaloes had a stinker Thursday night in Berkeley, as they lost 76-62 to a California team that they simply should have beat. Colorado had more life Sunday against Stanford, but they were still looking for answers after a 72-64 defeat. This season for the Buffaloes is at a crossroads, as they are no longer in contention for the Pac-12 regular season title. They have accomplished so much this season, and this iteration of the Colorado Buffaloes is probably the best team Tad Boyle has had in his tenure as head coach. However, reputations are made in March, and the Buffaloes will have to start their turnaround from their current three-game losing streak Saturday at Utah.

Tournament Chances: In the field – The Buffaloes have a huge non-conference win against Dayton, who has not lost since Colorado defeated them. They beat Oregon when they were ranked fourth in the country. However, the loss to Cal was probably their worst loss of the season. The Buffaloes need to win at Utah and show up in the conference tournament to ensure that they will still get a top-6 seed on Selection Sunday.

USC Trojans on Right Side of Bubble

USC also beat both Arizona and Arizona State this weekend. They led for the majority of both games. The Trojans got contributions from Jonah Mathews and Daniel Utomi in both games. Their defense also showed up in both games, as they held Arizona and Arizona State to 48 and 61 points, respectively. Both of their games were complete games. If their defense can travel, they will be a tough out in both the conference tournament and the NCAA tournament.

Tournament Chances: Decent – The Trojans have a better NET rating and a head-to-head victory over UCLA, giving them the upper hand over their Los Angeles rivals. However, Saturday’s game at the Galen Center is huge, as it could help USC get a higher seed in the conference tournament. USC has had a more consistent season than UCLA, but the winner of Saturday’s game will regard their season as the better one.

Arizona Struggles, Sean Miller Get Ejected Saturday

Arizona had a tough go on Thursday against USC, as they had one more field goal (16) than turnovers (15) in the 57-48 loss. On Saturday against UCLA, they played better and were leading for most of the first half. However, Sean Miller got ejected with 12:28 remaining in the second half as the Wildcats were leading, 47-44. Arizona was able to hold their own, but UCLA ended the game on an 11-2 run to win 69-64.

Tournament Chances: In – Arizona still has the best NET rating in the Pac-12 conference at number 11. They were able to dominate their non-conference schedule (minus the loss to St. John’s) despite their inconsistencies in-conference. However, every team has had their struggles in-conference, especially on the road. The Wildcats will have a chance to right the ship this week, with home games against Washington State on Thursday and Washington on Saturday.

Stanford Gets Resume-Boosting Win Against Colorado

Stanford was able to beat Utah 70-62 on Wednesday, but they were able to beat a ranked Colorado team 72-64 on Sunday. The Cardinal led the Buffaloes for the majority of the game, and had four starters score in double figures. Stanford was thought of as one of the teams on the outside looking in, but they may be on their way to playing in the First Four in Dayton.

Tournament Chances: 50/50 – Stanford is squarely on the bubble, but they have a huge opportunity at Oregon on Saturday. No team has gone into Eugene and won this season, and beating Oregon along with a win against Oregon State may be enough to get Stanford into the tournament. They may have another opportunity for a resume-boosting win in the Pac-12 tournament. However, Saturday feels like a must-have for the Cardinal, or else they may be NIT-bound.

Can Pac-12 Basketball Get Seven Teams Into the Tournament in 2020?

The Pac-12 getting six teams into the tournament looked like a pipeline dream a month ago. Now, they could get seven teams into the tournament. Teams that were afterthoughts not too long ago, like Arizona State and UCLA, have turned a corner and have become different teams in the second half of the conference season. It will be interesting how the selection committee ultimately views the parity in the conference, but this season it looks like it has helped the conference. A season after having only three teams in the tournament, the Pac-12 could have more than half their teams dancing in the NCAA Tournament.

Pac-12 Basketball: A Weekend of Parity Shakes Up Standings

Pac-12 Basketball- Oregon UCLA

The 2020 Pac-12 Basketball season turned on its head this past weekend as parity was on full display. Arizona State has surprised many, as they took over sole possession of first place in the conference, going 2-0 against Oregon and Oregon State. Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona were only able to split their games.

First off, here is how the top seven teams in the Pac-12 Standings looked before last Thursday night’s games:

Colorado 9-4

Oregon 9-4

Arizona 8-4

Arizona State 8-4

USC 8-5

UCLA 8-5

Stanford 5-7

Here is how the top seven looked by the end of the weekend:

Arizona State 10-4

Oregon 10-5

UCLA 10-5

Colorado 10-5

Arizona 9-5

USC 8-7

Stanford 7-7

Pac-12 Basketball has been as unpredictable as ever in 2020. Who would have thought a few weeks ago that Oregon would lose a road to Arizona State then beat Arizona in Tuscon? Who would have thought that Colorado would sweep the season series with USC, but lose to a UCLA team that looked lost in Mick Cronin’s first year in charge?

Arizona State Takes First Place in Pac-12 Basketball 2020

The Sun Devils had just lost to Washington State in Pullman on January 29, 2020, to drop to 3-4 in league play. Since then, they have racked up seven straight wins. The Sun Devils squeaked by Oregon State, 74-73, on Saturday night. However, they got their signature win of the season last Thursday against Oregon, 77-72. The Sun Devils never trailed in the game, and the team is coming together at the right time. They had to take advantage of their opportunity against the Ducks. Now, the Sun Devils are looked at as a team that could cut down the nets in Vegas at the Pac-12 Tournament.

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Colorado Lets Golden Opportunity Slip on Senior Day

The Buffaloes went 1-1 in their last two home games of the 2019-20 season, as they beat USC and then lost to UCLA. However, against USC they saw a 12-point second-half lead dwindle to one before pulling out a 70-66 win. Against UCLA, the Buffaloes led by 10 points in the second half before UCLA used a 20-3 run to help them secure a 70-63 win. CU has now seen two double-digit second-half leads turn into losses in two of their last four games. The Buffaloes need to show much more consistency if they want to make a deep run in March. That consistency will need to start Thursday at California.

Oregon Rebounds with Huge Win At McKale Center Saturday

Oregon gave their fans some heart-pounding basketball this weekend. First off, the Ducks lost to Arizona State on Thursday, making Saturday’s game against Arizona at the McKale Center even more meaningful. It ended similarly to the first encounter between these two teams, as Oregon squeaked out a 1-point win in overtime, 73-72. Payton Pritchard led the way with 38 points in the victory. Oregon could be looking at a 13-5 finish in-conference, as they close the regular season with home games against Oregon State, California, and Stanford. However, with the parity in the conference, nothing is guaranteed.

Free Throws Achilles Heel for Arizona Against Oregon

Arizona beat Oregon State on Thursday but suffered another tough loss against Oregon. The Wildcats have now lost five straight games against the team that they have competed against as the face of Pac-12 Basketball the past few seasons. Arizona went 10-for-21 from the free-throw line against Oregon. In yet another overtime loss to the Ducks, the Wildcats left too many points on the floor. Arizona has a chance to strengthen their resume as they play USC and UCLA in their next two games.

UCLA Surging, Making Their Case for March

The Bruins had the signature win of their season against Colorado in Boulder on Saturday. On what was supposed to be a senior day celebration for the Buffaloes, the Bruins, led by Cody Riley and Tyger Campbell, were able to pull off the upset. This Bruins team that beat the Buffaloes lost to Cal State Fullerton in December. The Bruins improved to 10-5 in-conference. Mick Cronin has done a masterful job in conference play, and the Bruins could get a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Bruins still have work to do to make the tournament, but they have two great opportunities against Arizona and Arizona State in the coming days.

USC Has Tough Weekend but has Opportunities Against Arizona Schools

USC lost to both Colorado and Utah this weekend, weakening their tournament hopes. The Trojans have been able to be competitive in Pac-12 play, but they do not have a truly signature win on their resume. Winning against conference-leading Arizona State on Thursday would be a start, but a win against Arizona on Saturday may get more national attention. Not being able to win on the road has hurt the Trojans. Defending home court is a must this week to keep their tournament hopes alive.

Stanford Needs to Finish 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season Strong

Stanford got Oscar Da Silva back last Saturday in a loss against Arizona. With the help of Da Silva, the Cardinal took care of business against Washington and Washington State this week to get themselves back to .500 (7-7) in the conference. Stanford will have an opportunity this week to improve their resume if they are able to beat Colorado in a home game on Sunday. It will be interesting how the committee views the loss to Colorado where Da Silva got injured, and the subsequent game against Arizona State where he did not play. Stanford could have possibly won both games if Da Silva was in the lineup.

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season Will Be a Race to the Finish Line

Big games for the upcoming week include the Arizona schools going to Los Angeles to play USC and UCLA. All teams involved could bolster and hurt their resumes in these games. Colorado goes on the road against Stanford on March 1. Both teams could use another resume-building win.

With the surges of UCLA and Arizona State the past few weeks, there are now seven teams in the Pac-12 that could make the case for March. However, the committee will probably only choose five or six teams. There is a case for more, however. The parity in the Pac-12 has produced in a way this season that may get more teams into the tournament. Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona are regarded as the best teams, but the other teams’ abilities to beat these teams have helped their cause for March. It is sure to be a crazy last two weeks of the Pac-12 Basketball regular season before the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

Pac-12 Conference Needs To Get Six Teams Into NCAA Tournament

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season: Setting Up for a Crazy Finish

The 2020 College Basketball season has already brought the madness that is usually seen in March. There is no clear-cut favorite, and the AP Top 25 constantly changes from week-to-week. Pac-12 Basketball has brought the craziness in the 2019-20 season, as unpredictability has been the theme of the conference so far.

The Pac-12 only had three teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 (Washington, Arizona State, and Oregon) and one team in the National Invitation Tournament (Colorado). This season, the conference is looking to have far more teams in the tournament.

Joe Lunardi, the most prominent “Bracketologist”, had five teams in his NCAA Tournament field for 2020 as of January 21. These five teams include Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Stanford, and USC.

The Pac-12 Basketball Favorites: Oregon, Colorado, Arizona

The Pac-12 conference could end up making an argument to have six or seven teams make the tournament come Selection Sunday, which is March 15.

Oregon is widely regarded to as the best team in Pac-12 basketball. Currently, the Ducks are 15-4, with a 4-2 mark in Pac-12 play. Led by senior Payton Pritchard, the Ducks have impressive non-conference wins against Memphis and Seton Hall at neutral sites. They also won an overtime thriller against Michigan. However, Oregon lost to Washington State this past Thursday. The Ducks have not always been consistent but should be at least a top-4 seed come tournament time.

Colorado is one of the most experienced teams in the Pac-12, led by junior McKinley Wright IV. The Buffaloes have an effective supporting cast with Tyler Bey, D’Shawn Schwartz, and Evan Battey to name a few, but sometimes the offense looks stagnant, especially in losses against Kansas and this past Saturday against Arizona. The Buffaloes have wins against Oregon and Dayton which should help their cause. If they can build upon their 14-4 (3-2 Pac-12) record, they should be strongly considered to be a top-4 seed come March.

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The Arizona Wildcats are having a bounce-back season in wake of the bribery scandal involving DeAndre Ayton a few years ago. The Wildcats are 13-5 (3-2 Pac-12) this season, but also have been inconsistent thus far in conference play. They have defended home court in conference play, defeating opponents by an average of 21.7 points per game. However, they lost to both Oregon and Oregon State.

Pac-12 Basketball NCAA Tournament Hopefuls: Stanford and USC

USC and Stanford are currently the top two teams in the conference standings, with each having a 4-1 conference record, respectively. USC won against Stanford in Los Angeles this past Saturday 82-78. The Trojans and Cardinal have both not been shown any respect nationally. Neither team is ranked, but they are both 15-3 this season.

Stanford is USC’s most notable win, however. The Trojans lost by 32 to Washington in conference play, and Oregon will be the first ranked team they play this season. The only ranked team Stanford has played was Kansas, and they lost 72-56.

Non-Conference Schedule Hurting Pac-12 Basketball

The Pac-12 as a conference needs to work on their non-conference schedule in basketball, especially given how the conference was perceived at tournament time last year. Larry Scott’s goal should be to have at least half the league in the NCAA Tournament each season.

The conference needs to have a partnership with one of the other major conferences. The Big Ten/ACC Challenge and Big 12/SEC Challenge are both great for college basketball and bolster both conference’s resumes. The Pac-12 should look to possibly partner with the Big East or even one of the other conferences to help with the non-conference schedule.

Best Non-Conference Win For Pac-12 Basketball: Washington Over Baylor

Washington beat Baylor 67-64 in the Armed Forces Classic on November 8 in Anchorage, Alaska. Baylor was just awarded the number-one spot in the AP Poll on Monday. Washington has struggled in conference play with a 2-4 record. The Huskies will be the most prominent Pac-12 teams that will be living life on the bubble until March because they beat Baylor.

In the end, there should be at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament for the Pac-12. USC should end up getting in if they end with a winning record in conference play. Beyond that, Washington is the conference’s best hope to get half the teams from the “conference of champions” into the tournament. The Pac-12 needs to live up to its slogan and accomplish this feat. The season has been crazy, but hopefully the committee will take notice of the product the Pac-12 is putting out there this season.

Colorado Basketball: Time to Beat Everyone else like Oregon in Boulder

colorado buffaloes Pac-12 basketball vs oregon

The Colorado Buffaloes basketball team has started the 2019-20 season 12-3. This start has helped the Buffaloes attain the 25th spot in the latest AP Poll. Their most noteworthy win was when they beat Oregon, who was ranked 4th in the nation at the time, 74-65 on January 2 in Boulder.

Colorado Basketball Has Dominated Oregon In Boulder

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From the outsider’s view, this win should bolster the Buffaloes’ resume. While it does, it has become commonplace for Colorado to beat Oregon in Boulder. It is one of the greatest unofficial traditions Colorado Athletics has to offer.

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Since the Buffaloes have joined the Pac-12 in 2011, they have gone 9-6 against Oregon, with a 7-0 mark when the teams meet at CU Events Center in Boulder. Here is the list of the scores in the Boulder games:

2012: Colorado 72, Oregon 71

2013: Colorado 76, #19 Oregon 53

2014: #20 Colorado 100, #10 Oregon 91

2016: Colorado 91, Oregon 87

2017: Colorado 74, #10 Oregon 65

2019: Colorado 73, Oregon 51

2020: Colorado 74, #4 Oregon 65

The Buffaloes have won by a whopping 11 points per game against the Ducks in Boulder. For a basketball program as prominent as Oregon, not being able to win in Boulder is one of the biggest head-scratching dilemmas facing the program.

Lack of Overall Success Frustrating Considering Colorado Basketball’s Success Versus Ducks

For the Buffaloes, the lack of success they have had in the big picture compared to Oregon is frustrating considering their success against them in Boulder. Oregon has made four Sweet 16’s and one Final Four since Colorado joined the conference in 2011, while the Buffaloes have won just one NCAA Tournament game.

Tad Boyle has an overall record of 201-126 at CU, and he is arguably the best coach in the history of Colorado basketball. However, the team has not truly made the leap into national prominence despite having Oregon’s number. Colorado has had better games against Oregon in Boulder, but Oregon has always had better seasons than Colorado. For the Buffaloes to be respected nationally, they have to show that they can play the way they play against Oregon more often and not lay eggs at home like they did against Oregon State on January 5.

Fans Should Have Higher Expectations Because of Success Against Oregon

Boulder is always hyped up when Oregon comes into town. Because of this, people not as familiar with Colorado Basketball will think it is a huge victory for the Buffaloes. While fans are happy when Colorado beat Oregon, the hype surrounding the team is exaggerated, especially when they lose to teams they should beat at home like Oregon State.

It is starting to get a little ridiculous that fans seem to always storm the court when the Buffaloes pull off victories against Oregon because of how commonplace beating Oregon at home has become. While these types of victories are significant for the Buffaloes, it will take them consistently competing for Pac-12 championships to be thought of as up there with Oregon and Arizona as the top basketball teams in the Pac-12.

The 2019-20 Colorado Basketball Team Should Make the NCAA Tournament

The good news is that this season the Buffaloes have a chance to do just that. Despite losing to Oregon State, they have wins against Oregon and also Dayton, who is currently ranked 15th in the latest AP Poll. Oregon is currently ranked 9th.

Their only two blemishes on the Buffaloes’ resume were home losses. Losing to Oregon State in the fashion they did was not good. However, losing to Northern Iowa in non-conference play was not the worst loss, as they are expected to compete for the Missouri Valley Conference title. Winning a tournament game is a must for the Buffaloes this year to build the reputation they want among Pac-12 and national pundits. Beating Oregon at home is nice, but it simply has not done enough for the Buffaloes to be taken seriously on the national level.