3 Ways Colorado Can Beat Oklahoma State in Big 12 Tournament

Here's how the Colorado Buffaloes can beat the Oklahoma State Cowboys to advance to the second round of the Big 12 tournament.

Feb 1, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Bangot Dak (8) during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes will get their Big 12 Tournament underway when they face the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Colorado is the No. 11 seed while Oklahoma State is the No. 14 seed. The winner will play the No. 6 seeded TCU Horned Frogs. 

Here’s how the Buffaloes can beat the Cowboys and advance to the second round. 

Stay Out Of Foul Trouble 

Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Bangot Dak (8) blocks out in the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Buffaloes rank third in the Big 12 in most fouls committed per game with an average of 17.5 per game. Colorado cannot afford to give Oklahoma State extra opportunities at the free throw line by getting them in the bonus. The Cowboys are in the top third in the country in free throw percentage, shooting at a clip of 74.3 percent. 

Foul trouble hurt the Buffs in their last game against the Arizona Wildcats on Senior Night with starting forward Bangot Dak fouling out. Dak averages 11.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and a team-high 1.5 blocks per game. 

In Colorado’s last game playing against Oklahoma State on Feb. 21, Dak was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points. The Buffaloes won 83-69. 

Limit Oklahoma State Guard Anthony Roy

Feb 21, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Anthony Roy (9) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is led by senior guard Anthony Roy. Roy is averaging a team-high 16.7 points per game. He is shooting 42.9 percent from the field and is a threat from deep, shooting 39.5 percent from three-point land.

Roy surprisingly only played 19 minutes in the February matchup in Boulder and came off the bench. He finished with just six points, two rebounds, and two assists on 3/10 shooting from the field. 

Roy has been red hot in his past two games, averaging 22.5 points on 46.4 percent shooting from the field, 39.0 percent from three, and 92.3 percent from the free throw line. With the season on the line for Oklahoma State, it would be hard to imagine them not giving the keys to Roy to run the show. Colorado will have to throw some double teams, make Roy uncomfortable, and make someone else beat them. 

Take Advantage of a Bad Cowboys Defense 

Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Barrington Hargress (24) passes the ball at Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) in the second half at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

No team in the entire Big 12 allows more points than Oklahoma State. They let up an average of 82.5 points per game. A lot of this damage comes from beyond the arc. 

Opponents are shooting 35.5 percent from three against them and make an average of 9.8 threes per game. The 9.8 threes made per game against their defense is by far the most against a defense in the Big 12. The second most threes allowed in the Big 12 is 8.5 given up by the BYU Cougars. 

In fact, the difference between Oklahoma State and BYU in this category is wider than the difference between BYU and the next 10 teams in the conference. Colorado shoots the second fewest amount of threes in the Big 12 so it will be interesting to see how they attack this Cowboy defense that has struggled defending it. 

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