Colorado University Athletics

SENIORS TO SAY GOODBYE AS BUFFS SEARCH FOR BYE

SENIORS TO SAY GOODBYE AS BUFFS SEARCH FOR BYE
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BOULDER - Five University of Colorado seniors will say goodbye to the Coors Events Conference Center Saturday while looking for a "BYE" in the process.

A win over the University of Nebraska on Saturday would guarantee the Buffaloes a first-round bye in next week's Big 12 Conference Tournament in Dallas. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. General admission tickets are still available for Saturday's game at $7 for adults and $3 for youth.

With one game remaining, CU could still be the fourth, fifth or sixth seed in the tournament. The Buffs, currently 17-9 overall and 9-6 in the Big 12, are tied with the University of Missouri for fourth in the league standings, while Texas Tech University looms right behind the North Division rivals at 8-7. Texas Tech hosts Iowa State University Saturday afternoon while the Tigers host the University of Kansas on Sunday.

A CU win and a Missouri loss would give CU sole-possession of fourth place in the final league standings and the fourth seed. If both win, Missouri would get the nod as the four seed, but the Buffs will still get the bye as the fifth seed and would face the Tigers in the Big 12 quarterfinals on Friday, March 12. A CU win, Missouri loss and Texas Tech win would give the Red Raiders the fifth seed and a match-up with CU in Friday's quarterfinals.

Colorado can still receive the bye and the tournament's fifth seed with a loss to Nebraska if Missouri wins or if Texas Tech falls to Iowa State. The only scenario that would drop CU to the sixth seed is if the Buffs end in a three-way tie with MU and Texas Tech. For that to happen, CU and Missouri would both have to lose while the Red Raiders would need to beat ISU. In that case, CU would be forced into a first-round game against No. 11 seed Texas A&M on Thursday, March 11.

CU seniors playing their last game at the CECC are Amadou Doumbouya (Conakry, Guinea), Lamar Harris (Los Angeles, Calif.), Trennis Jones (Austin, Texas), Michel Morandais (Guadeloupe, French West Indies) and Blair Wilson (Westminster, Colo.)

The Buffs defeated Nebraska, 68-60 back on Jan. 14 in Lincoln. Morandais scored 18 points to lead the Buffaloes as Colorado held Nebraska to just five points in the last 6:53 of the game. Meanwhile, CU had 14 points during that stretch, hitting 10 of 14 free throws to seal the win. CU has won four of its last five over the Huskers in Boulder, including an 84-69 decision on Senior Day 2003.

A win on Saturday would also give the Buffs their first 10-win conference season since 1996-97 (11-5).