Wednesday, March 11th, 3:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Ford Center (19,599) -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Television: Big 12 Network. Home Record: Colorado 8-9, Texas 13-2. Away Record: Colorado 0-10, Texas 4-6. Neutral Record: Colorado 1-2, Texas 3-2. Conference Record: Colorado 1-15, Texas 9-7. Series Record: Texas leads, 12-8.

GAME NOTES: In the opening round of the 2009 Big 12 Conference Tournament, the fifth-seeded Texas Longhorns will attempt to avoid an upset as they take on the 12th-seeded Colorado Buffaloes. The winner of this game moves on to the quarterfinals for a clash with fourth-seeded Kansas State. Only four schools have won the Big 12 tourney title in the 12 years that it has been played, and both Texas and Colorado are among the eight programs yet to claim a crown. The Buffs have suffered 11 single-digit losses this season by an average of 4.5 ppg, suggesting that they are more competitive than their 9-21 record indicates. Still, they have won just once in 16 league games and closed out the regular season with 11 consecutive setbacks. As for Texas, it is 20-10 overall, but the team lost seven of its 16 league games and finished the regular season with six losses in the final 11 outings. Texas owns a 12-8 series lead over Colorado, which includes four straight wins over the Buffaloes.

Colorado sophomore Cory Higgins was recently named an All-Big 12 Third Team performer. The standout is a gifted scorer who is netting 17.8 ppg to go along with team-highs of 5.5 rpg and 56 steals. Dwight Thorne II is the only other double-digit scorer on the roster, as he provides 11.9 ppg on the strength of his 41 percent shooting from three-point range. Colorado ranks last in the league in scoring with only 63.2 ppg, and the team is yielding 67.5 ppg. The Buffaloes are also the worst rebounding team in the conference, and they rank last in blocked shots and steals as well.

A.J. Abrams continues to lead Texas in scoring with 16.7 ppg, but he is shooting only 38.8 percent from the floor. Surprisingly, the guard has dished out a mere 39 assists in 30 games despite averaging nearly 38 minutes of action per game. Damion James checks in with 15.9 ppg, and he is ripping down 9.4 rpg. The third and final double-digit scorer on the roster is Gary Johnson with 11.0 ppg. Texas ranks eighth in the league in scoring offense with 73.0 ppg, and the team is fifth in scoring defense at 65.7 ppg. The Longhorns are shooting just 31.8 percent from three-point range, the worst mark in the Big 12. On a positive note, the squad ranks first in blocked shots.

Texas is the obvious pick in this matchup. Expect Abrams and James to lead the way to a double-digit victory.

Predicted Outcome

Texas 73, Colorado 61