Colorado’s Felix Kossaras Navigating New Role as Buffaloes Prepare for Texas Tech Test
LUBBOCK, Tex. - Felix Kossaras doesn’t make a lot of noise - not in interviews, not in huddles, and lately, not on the court either. The Colorado wing has always brought a calm, unassuming presence to the Buffaloes’ roster.
Off the floor, that demeanor is admirable. On it, though, it may be costing him minutes.
After starting the first 17 games of the season, Kossaras has seen his role shift dramatically in recent weeks. The emergence of a trio of freshmen wings - Josiah Sanders, Jalin Holland, and Ian Inman - has pushed Kossaras to the bench, and his playing time has taken a noticeable hit heading into Colorado’s Wednesday night road matchup with No.
16 Texas Tech (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+).
Last week’s 78-70 win over Arizona State marked a new low point in Kossaras’ season: for the first time, he didn’t see the floor at all. That followed a string of his shortest appearances of the year, including just 2 minutes and 12 seconds at Baylor.
“I love Felix,” said CU head coach Tad Boyle. “I just think his personality is kind of quiet, kind of reserved - he doesn’t say a whole lot. And I think he’s kind of been playing that way a little bit.”
Boyle made it clear that the shift isn’t about losing faith in Kossaras’ skillset. It’s about energy and effort - two areas where the younger players have made their mark.
“Jalin and Josiah have brought more defensive intensity,” Boyle added. “That’s something I thought early in the year Felix was doing a good job of.
Just make open shots and be a factor when he’s out there. That’s the big thing.”
Kossaras was efficient during nonconference play, knocking down shots and playing within the system. But since the start of Big 12 action, his numbers have dipped. He’s still shooting a solid .513 from the field and .378 from three overall, but in conference play, those figures have dropped to .391 and .267 (4-for-15), respectively.
It’s a tough adjustment for a player who was once a fixture in the starting lineup, but it speaks to the depth and competition within Colorado’s wing rotation - and the urgency of conference play.
3-Point Battle Brewing in Lubbock
Wednesday’s matchup has all the makings of a game that could be decided from beyond the arc.
Texas Tech (17-6, 7-3 Big 12) has been lights-out from deep in conference play, leading the Big 12 in three-point shooting at a blistering .413 clip. They’re also second in the league in defending the three, holding opponents to just .310 from distance.
That’s a dangerous combination - and one the Buffaloes (14-10, 4-7 Big 12) have already felt. When these teams met in Boulder last month, the Red Raiders knocked down 11 threes on 31 attempts. Colorado, by contrast, managed just 6-for-21 from deep.
CU forward Bangot Dak knows what’s coming.
“Their key guys that aren’t (JT) Toppin and (Christian) Anderson, they’re really good players and they understand their role - knock down shots, be three-and-D,” Dak said. “A team like this, their two dudes are really ball-dominant. They know their roles, and they play them as perfectly as they can.”
That kind of role clarity - stars who carry the load, role players who stretch the floor and defend - has helped Texas Tech climb into the top tier of the Big 12 standings.
Numbers, Rankings, and Notables
As of Wednesday, Colorado sits at No. 72 in both the NCAA’s NET rankings and KenPom.com - a reflection of a team that’s been competitive but inconsistent in a deep Big 12. Texas Tech, meanwhile, is firmly in the national conversation, ranked 20th in the NET and 22nd by KenPom.
The Red Raiders’ star duo of Toppin and Anderson earned national recognition this week, landing on the late midseason watch list for the Wooden Award, which honors the top player in college basketball. They’re two of eight Big 12 players on the 20-man list, a testament to the conference’s depth of talent. Other Big 12 names on the list include Jaden Bradley (Arizona), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Kingston Fleming (Houston), PJ Haggerty (Kansas State), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), and Darryn Peterson (Kansas).
Toppin, in particular, has been a force - leading the Big 12 with 14 double-doubles on the season.
Colorado will be without reserve wing Andrew Crawford, who was listed as out on the team’s availability report. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with John Harris and Chris Level on the call.
Final Word
For Kossaras and the Buffaloes, Wednesday night represents more than just another conference game. It’s a chance to recalibrate, to find answers against one of the league’s most disciplined and dangerous squads. Whether Kossaras reclaims a larger role remains to be seen, but the message from Boyle is clear: energy, effort, and execution - those are the tickets back into the rotation.
And against a Texas Tech team that thrives on all three, Colorado will need every ounce it can get.