March 9, 2006
Box Score | Notes
DALLAS (AP) - Marcus Hall hit a 3-pointer to start a game-ending spurt that finally pushed Colorado past a feisty Baylor team for a 65-61 first-round victory at the Big 12 tournament Thursday to keep the Buffaloes' NCAA hopes alive.
Hall scored just seven points, but his 3-pointer with 5 minutes left got the Buffaloes (20-8) within 56-52 and ignited a 16-5 run. He added two free throws with 7.9 seconds left to put Colorado ahead by two possessions, and Baylor never got off another shot.
Baylor (4-13), trying to become the first No. 12 seed to ever win a Big 12 tournament game, started the second half with a 10-0 run and led by as many as nine points while Colorado missed its first 12 shots after halftime.
Chris Copeland had 14 points and Richard Roby 12 for Colorado, which has its fourth 20-win season - three for 10th-year coach Ricardo Patton. The Buffs finished with the regular season with a 4-5 stretch - all five losses on the road, four by double figures.
Colorado plays its quarterfinal game Friday against Texas A&M (20-7), another NCAA bubble team. The Aggies ended the regular season with a seven-game winning streak, but have never won a Big 12 tournament game.
Freshman Curtis Jerrells led the Bears with 20 points, including their final five. Aaron Bruce had 15 points, and Patrick Fields 13.
Colorado beat Baylor 81-48 in January, but things were much different this time.
The earlier game was only the third of the season for Baylor, banned from playing non-conference games as part of NCAA penalties for numerous violations under former coach Dave Bliss. The violations were discovered after former player Patrick Dennehy was murdered in the summer of 2003.
Down only 33-31, Baylor scored the first 10 points after halftime, taking advantage of four Colorado turnovers in that 3 1/2-minute spurt.
Bruce made a tough shot on the Bears' opening possession to tie the game before Jerrells had a steal and breakaway layup to put the Bears in front. Tommy Swanson had a steal and Bruce assisted on Jerrells' 3-pointer before making one of his own to make it 41-33.
By the 8-minute mark, the Buffs had cut the deficit to 47-45. Hall's backcourt steal led to Roby's dunk, and then a free throw after being fouled. Bruce made two free throws with 5:14 left to put Baylor up 56-49 before Colorado's game-deciding run in which six different players scored.
