Colorado Eyes Elusive Road Win vs. Ranked Opponent as Showdown at No. 16 Texas Tech Looms
It’s been more than a decade since Colorado men’s basketball walked into a ranked opponent’s gym and walked out with a win. The last time it happened?
February 7, 2013 - a gritty, grind-it-out 48-47 victory at then-No. 19 Oregon.
Since then, the Buffaloes have evolved, the college basketball landscape has shifted, and the Pac-12 has gone from CU’s new home to a soon-to-be memory.
But one thing hasn’t changed: the Buffs are still chasing that next signature road win against a Top 25 team.
They’ll get two cracks at it this week, starting with Wednesday night’s trip to Lubbock to face No. 16 Texas Tech - a team that already got the better of CU once this season.
A second road test follows Saturday at No. 22 BYU.
“It’s hard to win on the road. You play a top-10, 20, 25 team, it’s even harder,” said head coach Tad Boyle, now in his 16th season leading the program.
“But you know? All you can ask for in life is an opportunity.
We got it. Let’s make the most of it.”
That opportunity comes with a heavy dose of history. Since that night in Eugene, Colorado has dropped 23 straight true road games against teams ranked in the AP Top 25. The most recent came Jan. 29 at Iowa State - then No. 8, now up to No. 5 - where CU showed flashes but couldn’t finish the job.
To be clear, the Buffs haven’t been completely lost when it comes to ranked opponents. In fact, they’ve had some solid success on neutral courts - going 8-15 in such games since the 2013 win at Oregon. That includes a strong stretch in recent seasons: six wins in eight neutral-site matchups against ranked foes since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, including a statement win over UConn at the Maui Invitational last year.
But there’s something about walking into a hostile arena, facing a top-tier team, and finding a way to win that’s eluded this program for 13 years.
“It’s hard, for sure,” said junior forward Bangot Dak. “Going on the road and beating a team, the fan bases are crazy almost everywhere we go.
Officiating is not always going to go your way and you have to play through some stuff, especially on the road. But as you see, it’s tough.
We haven’t won in over a decade. That’s something I’m going to make sure I tell the guys and make sure we have that on our minds.”
They’ll need that mindset in Lubbock, where Texas Tech has been rock-solid all season. The Red Raiders are 17-6 overall, 7-3 in Big 12 play, and have held a spot in the AP Top 25 for a program-record 23 consecutive weeks. They’re led by junior forward JT Toppin, who’s putting up 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting over 55% from the field - good enough to lead the Big 12 in rebounding and rank third in scoring.
Toppin also played a key role in the Red Raiders’ 73-71 win in Boulder back on Jan. 10, posting 16 points and 13 boards. That game, though, was far from a blowout. CU freshman guard Isaiah Johnson exploded for 21 points, going a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line, and the Buffs nearly stole it at the buzzer on a missed three from Barrington Hargress.
That near-comeback was a microcosm of CU’s season - moments of brilliance, stretches of inconsistency. The Buffs trailed by 24 in that game before flipping the switch and nearly pulling off what would’ve been the largest comeback in program history.
Now they’ll try to build on that energy - and recent momentum - as they head into one of their toughest road trips of the year.
Sophomore forward Sebastian Rancik is coming off his first career double-double, a 17-point, 11-rebound effort in a win over Arizona State. He also contributed 13 points and eight boards in the first matchup with Texas Tech. Dak has been a steady presence in the paint, averaging 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds, while Hargress continues to be one of the most efficient scorers in the conference, shooting over 50% from three.
But the challenge is real. In Big 12 road games, CU is shooting just 32% from beyond the arc - a number that won’t cut it against a disciplined, athletic Red Raiders squad.
Texas Tech isn’t a one-man show, either. Guard Christian Anderson is averaging 19.3 points and 7.7 assists per game, while LeJuan Watts and Donovan Atwell both bring double-digit scoring and solid rebounding to the table. The Red Raiders don’t just win at home - they wear teams down.
Still, the Buffs aren’t backing down. With a 14-10 overall record and sitting at 4-7 in conference play, they know what’s at stake. Every game from here on out carries weight - for postseason hopes, for program pride, and for snapping that 13-year streak that’s hung over them like a cloud.
“Obviously it starts at Tech,” Dak said. “We’ve got to execute and make sure coach feels confident going into this game. We’re going to play how we practice, and then we’ll worry about BYU after that.”
What to Watch: Colorado at No. 16 Texas Tech
- Tipoff: Wednesday, 6 p.m. MT
- Location: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas
- TV/Radio: ESPN+ / KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM
- Records: Colorado 14-10 (4-7 Big 12), Texas Tech 17-6 (7-3 Big 12)
- Coaches: Tad Boyle (16th season at CU), Grant McCasland (3rd season at Texas Tech)
Key Players - Colorado
- Isaiah Johnson: 16.3 PPG, .494 FG%, .398 3PT%
- Barrington Hargress: 14.1 PPG, .548 FG%, .507 3PT%
- Sebastian Rancik: 13.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG
- Bangot Dak: 10.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG
- Alon Michaeli: 8.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG
Key Players - Texas Tech
- JT Toppin: 21.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, .551 FG%
- Christian Anderson: 19.3 PPG, 7.7 APG
- LeJuan Watts: 12.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG
- Donovan Atwell: 12.3 PPG
- Jaylen Petty: 9.3 PPG
The Bottom Line
This is the kind of week that can define a season. Two road games, both against ranked opponents, both with history on the line.
The Buffs know the odds. They’ve lived them for 13 years.
But they also know what it would mean to break through - not just for the standings, but for the identity of a team still trying to prove it can win anywhere, against anyone.
It starts Wednesday night in Lubbock.