Buffs’ resurgence puts them in great position

The race is on. BOULDE R

The sudden surge by the Colorado men’s basketball team, combined a rough year for the Pac-12 that nonetheless has led to a wild level of parity, has left the chase for the top four spots standings.

In a year in which it seems up to a half-dozen teams, at least, will have a chance to beat anyone on any given day next month at the league tournament in Las Vegas, those top four spots and the first-round bye they ensure will be even more coveted.

With league-leading Washington sporting an 11-1 mark and sitting at the cusp of clinching the regular season crown, basically seven teams — all with league records between 8-4 and 6-6 — are vying for those final three spots that feature an automatic spot in the quarterfinals. That’s not to say 6-7 UCLA or 5-8 Arizona can’t still make a run, but both teams are trending the opposite direction with a thick pack of teams between them and the No. 4 slot.

Excluding Washington, of the other seven teams vying for the three remaining top-four spots, CU (16-9, 7-6 Pac-12) seemingly owns the most favorable schedule coming off the heels of beating Arizona State and Arizona at home. Among those seven teams, the Buffs and Stanford are the only two with more home games than road games. While CU has to play at Washington on Saturday, Stanford’s remaining road trip is through Arizona with a home date also still left against Washington.

“You want to put yourself in a position where games matter in February. And our guys have done that,” CU coach Tad Boyle said. “It’s a testament to them. They’ve put themselves in a position where games matter.”

The Buffs and Stanford are at 7-6 alongside USC, which hosts