LOS ANGELES — A year ago, after watching Colorado players leave his house with forlorn faces that grew longer than their arms, Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle insisted to friends that he would never again host a Selection Sunday watch party, no matter the circumstances.

Boyle has had a change of heart. There can be no snub by the NCAA Tournament selection committee this time. Having defeated Arizona 53-51 in Saturday’s championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament at the Staples Center, the Buffs can sit back, relax today, and get ready to hoot, holler and cheer when “Colorado” pops up on the bracket.

As conference tournament champion, Colorado (23-11) has secured the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the first for the program since the 2003 Buffs team led by David Harrison and Michel Morandais.

After building a 12-point lead midway through the second half, Colorado went through a prolonged shooting slump and had to hold its breath as Arizona’s best shooter, senior guard Kyle Fogg, let go of a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. The shot missed, and CU’s celebration began.

“It wasn’t easy,” Boyle said of the victory. “But I’m telling you, before this game we talked about it as a group — if you believe in destiny, you believe in the Colorado Buffaloes. It was meant to be for us.”

Friday night after Colorado, this tournament’s sixth seed, advanced to the title game by beating California, Boyle texted the six seniors on last year’s team, including current NBA players Alec Burks and Cory Higgins. “I told them we were dedicating this (championship) game to them,” Boyle said. “They sat in my house and were snubbed last year. That inspired us.”

So did Colorado being picked in a tie for 10th in the Pac-12 coaches’ preseason poll. CU had lost 75 percent of last year’s scoring, but Boyle and his staff believed in this season and, more important, so did the players.

“That’s what makes tonight even sweeter,” CU sophomore center Shane Harris-Tunks said. “Nobody gave us a chance.”

Colorado will learn its seeding and destination during the bracket announcement today at 4 p.m. on CBS. For those attending the private watch party, lemonade is on the house — at Boyle’s house.

CU freshman guard Spencer Dinwiddie, a native of Los Angeles, led the Buffs with 14 points and then paraded his newly donned championship cap around the court. Senior guard Carlon Brown, who was named the tournament MVP, scored 13 points, and sophomore André Roberson added 10.

Arizona (23-11), the No. 4 seed, got 14 points from Fogg but needed the guard’s last attempt to go in. Wildcats coach Sean Miller said his team likely will be picked for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). And that’s OK, Miller said Saturday, because this figured to be a rebuilding year for his team.

Then again, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Colorado too.

“I can make the argument that there’s been no greater gift to college basketball in the Pac-12 than adding Colorado,” Miller said. “Whoever draws them (in the NCAA Tournament) is running into a hungry, well-coached, disciplined team.”

Despite having played one more game in the tournament (this was CU’s fourth in four days) than Arizona, the Buffs looked a step quicker.

But perhaps tightening up under the pressure, Colorado went scoreless for almost eight minutes after holding a 50-38 lead with 9:09 left. A flying, windmill jam by Brown with 52.6 seconds left gave the Buffs some breathing room at 53-47. But Arizona made some plays, and Austin Dufault missed two free throws with 14.4 seconds left. That left the do-or-die attempt by Fogg.

Only one team would claim the big prize. Colorado, which entered the week with an 86 RPI power ranking, likely would have been NIT-bound had Fogg’s shot gone in.

Colorado was making its first appearance in a conference tournament championship game since the 1989-90 season in the former Big Eight.

Road to head of Pac

First round

No. 6 seed Colorado 53, No. 11 Utah 41: André Roberson gets 20 points and 11 rebounds, Carlon Brown goes for 15 and eight. Only one Utes scorer in double figures.

Quarterfinal

Colorado 63, No. 3 Oregon 62: Putback layup off an offensive rebound by CU’s Roberson with 10 seconds left is the difference.

Semifinal

Colorado 70, No. 2 California 59: Buffs’ defense limits talented Bears to 42.9 percent shooting. CU’s Roberson and Brown each get 17 points.

Championship

Colorado 53, No. 4 Arizona 51: CU almost blows 12-point lead and holds its breath as Wildcats’ Kyle Fogg misses 3-pointer at buzzer.