Colorado Dominates TCU in Big 12 Regular-Season Finale

BOULDER, Colo. — The Colorado Buffaloes secured a decisive 76-56 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs in their Big 12 Conference regular-season finale on Saturday, March 9, 2025. This win positions Colorado as the last seed for the upcoming conference tournament.

In front of a home crowd of 7,057 at the CU Events Center, Colorado was led by a strong performance from Julian Hammond III, who notched 19 points. Elijah Malone added 12 points off the bench, while Javon Ruffin contributed 10 points, all pivotal in securing the win for Colorado.

TCU, with a record of 16-15 (9-11 Big 12), faced a setback as they missed out on a first-round bye for the tournament. They will enter the postseason as the ninth to eleventh seed. Vasean Allette was TCU’s standout player, scoring 21 points, but it was not enough to overcome Colorado’s early lead.

Colorado jumped to a 37-31 advantage by halftime and further extended their lead to 51-39 after a three-pointer from Hammond with 15:08 remaining. However, TCU responded with an 11-0 run, narrowing the margin to 51-50 after consecutive free throws by Trazarien White.

The Buffaloes quickly regained control, with RJ Smith‘s jumper marking a critical turning point. Following this basket, Colorado went on another 11-0 run while TCU went scoreless for over four minutes. This ultimately resulted in Colorado’s first win by a margin exceeding 20 points since a 79-55 victory over Bellarmine in December.

With this loss, TCU has dropped two straight and four of their last five games. The team struggled to maintain momentum despite their initial scoring surge in the second half.

The Big 12 tournament will commence on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, bringing together 16 teams vying for the championship. Iowa State enters as the defending champion after defeating Houston in last year’s final.

For further updates on tournament matchups and highlights, fans can tune in to ESPN+ for live coverage.