KANSAS CITY, MO. — There haven’t been many special moments for the Colorado men’s basketball team this season, but they’ll have at least one game to remember years from now.
CU became the first No. 12 seed in Big 12 Tournament history to win, downing Baylor, 91-84, in double overtime here today. A running floater from the lane by Colorado senior guard Marcus Hall gave the Buffaloes a four-point cushion with 25.4 seconds left. Baylor then missed and CU made two free throws.
CU had missed what would have been game-winning shots at the end of regulation and the end of the first overtime.
The Buffaloes (12-19, 3-13 Big 12) will face fourth-seeded Oklahoma in a Friday quarterfinal at 1 p.m. MDT.
Baylor defeated Colorado 68-57 on Feb. 27 in Boulder. But the Buffs were the better team today.
Colorado had a 16-3 run in the first half that included four 3-pointers and two dunks, putting the Buffs up 32-24 with 5:03 remaining before the break. The Buffs sizzled from inside and outside, hitting 72 percent from the field in the first half.
Sophomore guard Dwight Thorne hit three-of-four 3-pointers in the first half when he matched his career high with 13 points.
Colorado went up 15 points in the second half, but Baylor stormed back in the final five minutes to tie the game, eventually pulling even at 61. With the score tied at 65 Colorado had the ball and a chance to win in regulation with 21.6 seconds remaining. But CU settled for a last-second 3-point attempt by Hall that bounced off the front of the rim.
Richard Roby led Colorado with 32 points. Hall added 25. Baylor got 20 each from Curtis Jerrells and LaceDarius Dunn. Baylor (21-10, 9-7 Big 12) must hope this did not ruin its chances of receiving an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time 1988.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
