Colorado Buffaloes Looking To Pull Off Key Upset Before Big 12 Tournament

Even though it's their last true road trip, the Colorado Buffaloes face a telling task.

Coach Tad Boyle's young Buffs (16-12, 6-9 Big 12) must prove they haven't been thinking about next season, even after back-to-back wins. Or else, the No. 5 Houston Cougars will embarrass them ahead of an important Big 12 tournament for their future together.

On Win Streak, Colorado Visits No. 5 Houston

Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

By beating the Kansas State Wildcats on Wednesday, Colorado earned its first win streak since the start of conference play. It was a funky affair, with four flagrant fouls, an ejected fan and more runs than the Olympic trials. But the Buffs came out on top, 79-70.

Freshman guard Isaiah Johnson entered triple-double watch to lead the way, scoring 18 points while notching career-highs in rebounds (nine) and assists (seven). Guard Ian Inman continued his recent emergence as a much-needed knockdown shooter, tallying a career-high 17 points and five rebounds with five made 3s.

Three more Buffs heavily contributed, as guard Barrington Hargress (15 points, four assists, four rebounds), along with forwards Sebastian Rancik (13 points, seven rebounds) and Bangot Dak (10 points, six rebounds, four blocks), did their usual grunt work. Colorado won the battle on the boards as well, 43-36.

Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Barrington Hargress (24) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

K-State crept out to a 6-2 lead before the Buffaloes fired away into a 35-12 run. But down 16 already, the Wildcats closed the half strong to stay within striking distance.

After cutting it to five, Colorado scored 17 straight points off balanced scoring from the five of Johnson, Rancik, Inman, Hargress and Dak. Yet KSU still wouldn't go away, scoring 20 of the next 25 points to trim Colorado's lead to seven. And with two minutes left, that lead was trimmed to three.

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Wildcats guard P.J. Haggerty was at the forefront of the comeback, scoring 14 of his game-high 25 points in the second half. He played almost the entire game but drew fouls late to help K-State hang in it.

However, the Wildcats went cold in crunch time, and Colorado scored six straight points to seal it. It ended a homestand in which the Buffs beat both K-State and Oklahoma State.

Houston Hits Late-Season Roadblock

Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson looks back during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Houston provided as formidable a next foe as one could find, the Cougars are on a surprising three-game losing streak. They haven't found success against the Big 12's best, with a home loss to No. 4 Arizona sandwiched between road defeats to No. 6 Iowa State and No. 14 Kansas.

Last year's national runner-ups remain a contender, but UH is just 3-5 against teams currently ranked in the top-25. The Cougars kept a chunk of that team around, but haven't loved playing other juggernauts. However, the loss to Arizona was Houston's first hiccup at home all season.

While powered by several veterans, a freshman leads UH in guard Kingston Flemings. He's averaging 16.6 points and 5.1 assists on elite efficiency. Four-year Cougar Emmanuel Sharp posts 16 points a game on sharpshooting splits, having scored 19 against the Buffs in last season's Big 12 tournament semifinal.

UH won both of its games against Colorado last season, but Boyle's bunch hung around in both. However, this will be the Buffaloes' first trip to Houston since 1994.

Time, TV, Betting Odds

A late-morning tip-off from the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas, is set for 10 a.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Per Friday's DraftKings Sportsbook odds, Houston is an 18.5-point favorite over Colorado. The over/under is set at 141.5.

Colorado Vs. Houston Prediction

Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Members of the Colorado Buffaloes bench react in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Buffs should feel rejuvenated after two home wins, but they haven't found a road win since Jan. 3. Houston has the Power Five's best scoring defense and has beaten up on the Big 12's bottom half. It's too late in the year to expect much to change. The Cougars will defeat Colorado, 76-61.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.