Oregon has been in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 race for most of the season, beginning with their seven-game win streak to start conference play. But when they stumbled with freshman guard Dominic Artis injured, they let the rest of the conference back into the race. Heading into tonight’s game against Colorado, Oregon had the chance to clinch the regular season title and lock up the top seed in the Pac-12 tourney.

Things seemed to be unfolding in the Ducks’ favor when reports surfaced less than an hour before tipoff that Colorado would be without the nation’s leading rebounder, Andre Roberson. But Oregon was ice cold from the field from the start, and Colorado was in charge from the opening tip — turning a 16-point halftime Buff lead into a 76-53 victory.

Oregon will still have a first-round bye when the Pac-12 Tournament opens Wednesday in Las Vegas, but the loss opens the door for UCLA or California to steal the top spot. Oregon and UCLA both enter the final weekend with 12-5 Pac-12 records, while Cal finished the regular season with a 12-6 mark.

Since the Ducks hold the tiebreaker over the Bruins, they still control their own destiny. A win over Utah would still give the them the top spot in the tourney, however.

If the Ducks lose to the Utes, though, things get a little more complicated. UCLA could take home the top seed with a win over Washington and with an Oregon loss, and if Oregon and UCLA both lose, Cal could take the regular season conference crown without playing a game this weekend. Arizona will clinch a top-four spot and earn the first-round bye with a win over Arizona State — but Colorado could sneak into the top four with a win over Oregon State and an Arizona loss.

The loss also undoubtedly will hurt Oregon on Selection Sunday. Heading into the game, they were projected in the neighborhood of a six seed, but a blowout loss to a team missing its leading rebounder will cost them a few spots when the brackets are filled out.