BOULDER - The Colorado Buffaloes are gearing up for the 2026 College Basketball Crown, and head coach Tad Boyle has announced the roster that will represent them in Las Vegas. With the opening game set against Oklahoma on Wednesday, April 1, at 6 p.m. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, excitement is building.
Colorado's roster includes 12 talented student-athletes:
- Ian Inman, a versatile guard/forward from Houston, Texas, brings his freshman energy to the court.
- Sophomore Jon Mani, standing tall at 6-7, hails from Los Angeles and adds depth to the guard position.
- Alon Michaeli, a 6-9 forward from Kfar Saba, Israel, is ready to make an impact in his freshman year.
- Josiah Sanders, another freshman guard from Denver, Colorado, is eager to showcase his skills.
- Jalin Holland, a guard from Los Lunas, New Mexico, adds to the freshman strength.
- Felix Kossaras, a sophomore guard from Montreal, Quebec, continues to develop his game.
- Barrington Hargress, a junior guard from Inglewood, California, brings experience to the lineup.
- Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola, a towering 7-foot center from Lagos, Nigeria, is set to dominate the paint.
- Leonardo Van Elswyk, a 7-1 center from Milan, Italy, adds international flair to the team.
- Nick Randall, a sophomore forward from Fort Collins, Colorado, is poised for a strong performance.
- Andrew Crawford, a freshman guard from Littleton, Colorado, rounds out the roster with potential.
- Elijah Malone, a graduate center from LaGrange, Indiana, brings veteran leadership to the squad.
Notably, three Buffaloes have opted out of the tournament: Isaiah Johnson, Sebastian Rancik, and Bangot Dak, who are entering the transfer portal.
The winner of the Colorado-Oklahoma matchup will face either Baylor or Minnesota on Saturday, April 4, at 11:30 a.m. MT at T-Mobile Arena.
The championship game is slated for Sunday, April 5, at 3:30 p.m. MT, also at T-Mobile Arena.
The other side of the bracket features Stanford, West Virginia, Rutgers, and Creighton.
In its sophomore year, the College Basketball Crown features eight teams vying for a $500,000 NIL prize pool. Colorado, having participated in last year's inaugural event, is looking to improve upon their first-round exit against Villanova.
Fans can catch all the quarterfinal action on FS1, with the semifinals and championship airing on FOX. Colorado's games will also be broadcast on the Colorado Radio Network.
The Buffaloes, boasting a 17-15 overall record and a significant improvement in the Big 12 standings, are making their 14th postseason appearance in 15 years under Boyle. This includes six NCAA Tournaments, five NITs, one CBI, and now back-to-back College Basketball Crown appearances.
For those eager to catch the action live, tickets are available exclusively through Vivid Seats.