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Colorado locks up bid with win over No. 9 Arizona

Arizona Colorado Basketball

Arizona guard Allonzo Trier, left, and Colorado’s Tory Miller and Josh Scott, front right, try to get a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Cliff Grassmick)

AP

Josh Scott finished with 26 points, nine boards and three blocks and George King chipped in with 14 as Colorado knocked off No. 9 Arizona in Boulder on Wednesday night, 75-72.

The Buffaloes did what they could to try and let the Wildcats back into the game, blowing a late, double-digit lead and committing a pair of turnovers in the final minute that gave Arizona the ball with a chance to tie.

But the Buffs hung on, meaning that right now, they look like a team that will be dancing come Selection Sunday. They have four top 50 wins on their profile -- including Oregon and Arizona -- with an 8-9 record against the top 100. They have no sub-75 losses on the season, just one home loss to their name (Utah) and every loss their have outside the top 20 came in a true road game.

The concern is their non-conference schedule. Colorado’s best non-league win came against BYU, which really doesn’t mean all that much this season. But with just two games left before the postseason starts, I think that the Buffs will be just fine even if they happen to lose three in a row.

Arizona’s situation is a little bit more intriguing.

At this point, the Wildcats aren’t in danger of missing the NCAA tournament but I’d be willing to wager that their seed on Selection Sunday is going to disappoint the good folks of Tucson.

Would you believe me if I told you that Arizona was sitting here in late-February with just two top 50 wins to their name? Oregon State at home. USC at home. That’s it.

It’s not all their fault, mind you. Gonzaga (67), Boise State twice (91) and UNLV (136) were all supposed to be good wins when Arizona got them. That’s the major reason Arizona’s non-conference strength of schedule is down in the 270s.

With a 22-6 record and just one loss outside the top 40, the Wildcats are a lock to dance.

But if they want a real shot at landing a protected top four seed, they better win at Utah this weekend or against Cal next week.