OKLAHOMA CITY - On the eve of what could be his final game as the University of Colorado men's basketball coach, the emotion shrouding that possibility had not hit Ricardo Patton - mainly because he wouldn't allow it.

"I didn't grow up exhibiting a lot of emotion," Patton said Wednesday. If you grow up hard, you learn to control emotions . . . in martial arts, you learn to control emotions."

So it seems Patton's game face is in place for the 12th-seeded Buffaloes' game today against No. 5 Texas Tech in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

He contends that he has approached this day like any other during his 11-plus seasons as CU's coach, focusing on what his team might do differently to avoid another 21-point flogging such as that administered by Texas Tech on Feb. 17.

Patton's to-do list for extending his CU career at least one more day begins with better defense, but then, any of his lists always do. Were he returning to coach this season's eight freshmen, Patton said his emphasis on better defense would be so fervent "they might not see a ball until January."

In their lopsided loss last month in Lubbock, Texas, the Buffs shot a season-high 59.6 percent and still lost 95-74, which should underscore Patton's plea for tighter "D."

"One of the things we did a very poor job of is matching up in the zone defense," he said. "That's where we got burned. . . . We lost guys in the zone (and) were exchanging twos for threes."

Senior Jarrius Jackson, who is 87 points short of becoming Texas Tech's all-time leading scorer, and junior Martin Zeno were Patton's chief sources of misery. They combined for 52 points (Jackson 28, Zeno 24).

Jackson isn't likely to creep close to that school mark today, but he could take a step toward it if the Red Raiders win and extend their season. At 20-11, they are among six Big 12 teams enjoying 20-win seasons.

Still, they are not a lock for the NCAA Tournament unless they win the Big 12 tourney. So Jackson, a first-team all-Big 12 selection (coaches), could use another handful of games to chase the record.

Patton couldn't care less about that pursuit; he merely wants to prevent Jackson and Zeno from "having career nights" and sending his team home and him to another career stop.

Of Jackson, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight said, "As much as any kid I've been around, I think he just likes to play basketball."

The Buffs will be without freshman shooting guard Xavier Silas, their second-leading scorer, who is serving a one-game suspension after being ejected from the Nebraska game Saturday for a "flagrant fighting foul." Silas scored 14 points against Tech last month.

CU also might be minus freshman point guard Dwight Thorne, who rolled his left ankle in practice Tuesday and is questionable. But Thorne hasn't averaged as many minutes (14.5) as Silas (30.1), and Patton has senior Dominique Coleman and freshman Kal Bay to use at the point.

Knight doesn't believe Silas' absence, or that of any single player, "changes the complexion of the team, the way it plays at either end of the floor. . . .

"I've seen guys come in and I'm wondering to myself, 'Why wasn't I playing this guy before?' Sometimes it goes the other way. It can't be determined. I think they've got a situation where they will manage."

But with CU missing Silas' 13.6 points a game, more of the scoring burden falls once more on junior Richard Roby, who managed 17 in the regular-season meeting and has averaged 21 points in his past three games.

Knight, though, said he hasn't fashioned his defense to contain any individual: "I don't think you ever stop one player. You do what you can to beat a team. In singles tennis, you're trying to beat one guy. This is a little different."

Colorado men vs. Texas Tech

• What: First round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

• When: 1 p.m. MST today.

• Where: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City.

• Records: Colorado, 7-19, 3-13 in the Big 12; Texas Tech, 20-11, 9-7.

• TV/radio: Altitude; KKZN-AM (760).

• Leaders: CU - Richard Roby, 17.3 points; Dominique Coleman, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists. TT - Jarrius Jackson, 20.2 points; Martin Zeno, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists.

• Stat that matters: This marks the first time the Buffaloes enter the tournament as the 12th and final seed. Texas Tech is No. 5.

• Etc.: The Buffs are 6-11 in conference tournament play under outgoing coach Ricardo Patton. . . . With a career-best 15 rebounds Saturday in a 73-69 win against Nebraska, Coleman became CU's single-season rebounding leader for a guard. He has 177 rebounds, eclipsing Donnie Boyce's 173 in 1993-94. . . . CU and Texas Tech previously met in the tournament in 2004 and CU lost 79-69. . . . As the No. 11 seed two seasons ago, CU upset sixth-seeded Texas 81-69 in the first round. . . . CU has not won successive games this season, which hasn't happened since 1971-72.

brooksb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5466

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