Colorado Basketball – Fall, 2022

—

Colorado Basketball

—

November 29th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle on 4-3 start: “I may have overscheduled for this team”

From the Daily Camera … The sting of the Buffaloes’ uneven start was dulled somewhat by Sunday’s 65-62 home win against Yale, though if not for a few late turnovers by the Bulldogs the outing could very well have ended with a fourth bad loss for CU in the season’s first three weeks.

Sunday’s victory marked just the second home game so far for CU through seven games. That’s a rare situation for a power conference program, although certainly it’s one neither the Buffs nor their coach have used as an excuse. Still, working through growing pains has been doubly challenging given the early schedule, which continues this week as CU opens Pac-12 Conference play at home on Thursday against Arizona State (6:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1).

The Sun Devils (6-1) have been a pleasant surprise for the Pac-12 in the season’s opening weeks, topping then-No. 20 Michigan on Nov. 17 and receiving six points in this week’s Associated Press top 25 poll.

“I may have overscheduled for this team,” Boyle said last week, bringing up a point he reiterated following the win against Yale. “As a coach, I’ve got to look internally, and I schedule based upon what I think our team can be successful with. There’s a little bit of art to that. There’s a little bit of science. There’s a little bit of luck. I thought our team would be further along from a toughness standpoint.

“I expect our players to play with pride and play with toughness. Play Colorado basketball. But I may have overscheduled. Yale is an NCAA Tournament team. Boise State won the Mountain West tournament and went to the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is obviously a top (team). But we’ve taken care of the ranked teams.”

Boyle has been consistent through his tenure in attempting to assemble nonconference schedules in tune with the expectations surrounding his club. In the 2017-18 season, for instance, when McKinley Wright, Tyler Bey and D’Shawn Schwartz were freshmen and classmate Evan Battey was sitting out a redshirt season, the Buffs’ multi-team event featured dates against Quinnipiac, Drake and Mercer, plus home games against Denver and Air Force. Two years later, when those players were veterans, CU played neutral-floor games against Clemson and Dayton, plus road games at Kansas and Colorado State.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 27th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Led by Tristan da Silva’s 20 points, Buffs hold off Yale for 65-62 home win

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado put three players into double figures Sunday and held off a Yale rally in the final minutes to collect a 65-62 win at the CU Events Center.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffaloes improved to 4-3 while the Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season, dropping to 6-1.

The Buffs led from the outset and built their margin to as much as 12 at several different points throughout the game. But they could never completely put away Yale as the Bulldogs stayed within range to the end, cutting the CU lead down to one in the final seconds.

Tristan da Silva led CU with 20 points, J’Vonne Hadley added 12 and K.J. Simpson chipped in 10.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado led by 10 at intermission, 38-28. But the Buffs couldn’t put the Bulldogs away in the second half. Yale cut CU’s cushion down to two, 48-46, with 12:25 to play before the Buffs pushed the margin back to 11 with a 6-0 run. J’Vonne Hadley had four points in the surge.

Yale, though, wouldn’t go away. The Bulldogs slowly chipped away at the lead and with 1:49 to play, cut the CU lead to 61-58 on a John Poulakidas 3-pointer. Less than a minute later, Yale cut the deficit to just one on a Bez Mbeng drive to the hoop.

Colorado missed on its next possession and Yale had a chance to take the lead but CU forced a Bulldogs turnover to regain possession.

That forced the Bulldogs to resort to fouling in the final seconds. Julian Hammond hit two free throws for CU with 10 seconds left to give Colorado a 63-60 lead.

CU’s Simpson then forced a turnover on Yale’s next possession and Jalen Gabbidon — who transferred to CU from Yale in the offseason — clinched the win with a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining.

The Bulldogs then got a layup at the buzzer to finish the scoring.

… Read full story here …

–

—

… Game Notes … Colorado (3-3) v. Yale (6-0) … Sunday, 2:00 p.m., Sunday, Pac-12 Networks … 

THE SEASON: Colorado is 3-3 overall, returning home for the first time in nearly three weeks. The Buffaloes are coming off a 12-day, three-state, five-game road trip. It’s the first time Colorado has played five of its first six games of any season on the road since the 1955-56 season.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: A 6-0, Yale is off to its best start since the 1945-46 season when it won its first seven games. The Bulldogs are averaging 82.8 points per game while allowing only 51.7 a contest, ranking sixth in the nation in scoring defense.

Junior forward Matt Knowling leads Yale at 20.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting a whopping 71.1 percent from the field (54-76). Sophomore guard John Poulakidas averages 9.7 points and leads the Bulldogs with 13 3-point field goals.

IVY CONNECTION: Colorado graduate senior Jalen Gabbidon faces his former team in Yale. Gabbidon played in 78 games in three seasons, over five years, for Yale during his undergraduate career. A two-year team captain for the Bulldogs, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 45 percent from the field and 77 percent from the line. Helped Yale to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, ’22) and two Ivy League regular season and tournament titles. He was the 2019-20 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

Ethan Wright is also quite familiar with Yale, having played for Princeton from 2018-20 and 2021-22 (the Ivy League did not compete in 2020-21). Wright’s Princeton teams were 1-7 against the Bullodgs in those three season.

THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and Yale with the Buffaloes holding a 2-1 series edge. It is the first meeting since a 70-59 Colorado win on Dec. 29, 2009, in Boulder. Yale’s lone win in over the Buffaloes came on Dec. 27, 1952 in Kansas City. The Bulldogs were the eighth team in the 1952 edition of the Big Seven Christmas Tournament and defeated the Buffaloes 56-54 in a first round game.

–

—–

November 22nd 

… CU in the Arena … 

Struggling Buffs not taking time off – Boyle: “We need to practice” 

From the Daily Camera … A few weeks ago, Boyle considered giving his club a few days’ rest after the long trip, given the Buffs have a full week to prepare for a Sunday home date against Yale (1 p.m., Pac-12 Network). Not anymore. The Buffs traveled back to Colorado on Monday, and when they reconvene on Tuesday, Boyle promised it will be time to roll up their sleeves.

“We need to practice,” Boyle said. “We have not had an opportunity to practice on this trip, and it shows. We’ve got to practice. We’ll travel back (Monday). I thought about, depending on how this trip went, giving them a little extra time this week. We’re not in school. It’s time to rock and roll. It’s time to get back in that gym and get after it.

“Tuesday’s practice, we’re going to hook it up. We’re going to hook it up. Our guys are going to get tougher or I might have to get to a five-man rotation.”

In each of CU’s three losses, the opposition shot at least 51% in the first half, forcing the Buffs to play catch-up after halftime. The Buffs hope the upcoming run of six of seven games at home straightens out their shooting touch. CU shot lights-out in the win against Texas A&M (.576 overall, 16-for-32 on 3-pointers). But in the other four games during the trip, the Buffs shot just .250 (23-for-92) from long range.

CU also needs the week’s respite from competition to get healthy. Starting forward J’Vonne Hadley missed the past two games after suffering a right shoulder injury and is set to be re-evaluated in Boulder. Forward Tristan da Silva took a shot to the head early in the second half against Boise State and did not return while dealing with what Boyle described as a migraine issue. And while point guard KJ Simpson returned to the action after getting his right ankle rolled late against Boise State, at first glance it appeared to be the sort of ailment that could bother him more in the coming days than it did while he was still loose and full of adrenaline.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 20th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs fall to 3-3 after losing 68-55 to Boise State – Tad Boyle: “We got out-toughed, we got out-hustled, we got out-executed and we got out-coached”

From CUBuffs.com … Consistency continued to evade Colorado on Sunday, as the Buffaloes dropped a 68-55 decision to Boise State in the fifth-place game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs, who fell to 3-3, have now followed a win-loss-win-loss pattern for the first six games of the season. Inexplicably, the Buffs are now 2-0 against top 25 teams and 1-3 against unranked opponents.

Boise State improved to 3-2.

The Buffs fell behind early against the Broncos and never recovered. Boise State led by as much as 11 in the first half, held an eight-point edge at intermission and never allowed the Buffs to come closer than six throughout the second half.

KJ Simpson led CU in scoring with 14 points but was the only Buff in double figures. CU shot just 36 percent from the floor, including a dismal 4-for-20 effort from 3-point range.

Marcus Shaver Jr. led BSU with 20 points. While the Broncos finished just 39 percent from the floor, it was their 52 percent effort in the first half (17-for-33, including seven 3-pointers) that made the difference.

Boyle, who watched his team dismantle No. 24 Texas A&M just two days earlier, 103-75, was understandably irate after the loss. CU has now dropped three games to unranked foes — Grambling State, UMass and Boise State while collecting wins over UC Riverside, No. 11 Tennessee and the No. 24 Aggies.

“Our players disrespected the Colorado uniform,” Boyle told KOA radio. “Every former player should be disappointed and embarrassed with the way these guys represented any former player who wore this uniform. We got out-toughed, we got out-hustled, we got out-executed and we got out-coached. I’m doing an absolutely awful job with this team and I thank God we get to go home and get some practice time. I’m telling you, Tuesday’s going to be a hell of a practice for us.”

–

—

Buffs looking for back-to-back wins in first-ever game against Boise State

… Tipoff v. Boise State at 5:00 p.m., MT, ESPNews … 

From the Daily Camera … It still has been less than two full weeks since CU opened the season with a home win against UC Riverside. Since then, the Buffs have posted a pair of wins against top-25 foes in a five-day span, first against then-No. 11 Tennessee in Nashville, and then routing No. 24 Texas A&M on Friday. Ahead of each of those wins, however, CU suffered a pair of bad losses, first at Grambling State and then in the Myrtle Beach opener on Thursday against UMass.

As it stands, the victories probably will rank as better wins than the defeats were bad losses. But that won’t be the case if the early up-and-down trend continues.

It still has been less than two full weeks since CU opened the season with a home win against UC Riverside. Since then, the Buffs have posted a pair of wins against top-25 foes in a five-day span, first against then-No. 11 Tennessee in Nashville, and then routing No. 24 Texas A&M on Friday. Ahead of each of those wins, however, CU suffered a pair of bad losses, first at Grambling State and then in the Myrtle Beach opener on Thursday against UMass.

As it stands, the victories probably will rank as better wins than the defeats were bad losses. But that won’t be the case if the early up-and-down trend continues.

… Read full story here …

–

—–

November 18th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Jekyll and Hyde: Buffs follow stunning loss to UMass with a dominating 103-75 win over No. 24 Texas A&M 

From CUBuffs.com … Tad Boyle‘s Colorado Buffaloes have developed an interesting pattern this year — lose when favored, then knock off a ranked team in their next outing.

The Buffs completed the pattern for the second time in this young season Friday, bouncing back from an opening loss to UMass in the Myrtle Beach Invitational to collect a 103-75 win over No. 24 Texas A&M in the consolation bracket.

The Buffaloes used a career-best 30 points from guard KJ Simpson to improve to 3-2 with the win while the Aggies dropped to 2-2.

CU’s win over the Aggies came just five days after CU’s 78-66 victory over No. 11 Tennessee — which came on the heels of a surprising loss to Grambling State.

The Buffs were once again a different team than the squad that lost its previous outing.

CU jumped on the Aggies early and never let up, building a 54-33 lead at intermission and extending the cushion to as much as 33 in the second half. CU hit 10 3-pointers in the first period after finishing with just six in the entire game against UMass and also had 14 assists in the opening period.

Simpson was one of four Buffs in double figures, shooting 11-for-17 from the floor (4-for-8 from 3-point range) to finish with 30 points, seven rebounds, six steals and three assists. Ethan Wright added 15 points — all on 3-pointers — while Javon Ruffin had 14 points and Nique Clifford chipped in 11.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado used a 15-2 run midway through the first half to take control and never let the Aggies back in the game.

Ethan Wright started the surge with his first of two 3-pointers and KJ Simpson had seven points in the run as Colorado turned a 14-12 deficit into a 27-16 lead with 8:24 to play in the half.

The Buffs continued to build the lead the rest of the half, extending the margin to as much as 24 down the stretch. CU hit six 3-pointers in the final five minutes of the period, with Javon Ruffin, Jalen Gabbidon, Nique Clifford, Simpson and Wright all delivering from long distance.

Wright’s third 3-pointer of the half gave Colorado a 24-point lead before the Aggies collected a trey with 25 seconds left in the half to cut the Buffs’ lead to 54-33 at the break.

Colorado shot 18-for-31 from the floor in the first half, including a 10-for-19 effort from long range. The Buffs finished with 14 assists in the first period, with five different Buffs having at least two.

Colorado’s defense, meanwhile, held the Aggies to 10-for-28 shooting.\ and the Buffs also had a 19-11 edge on the boards.

The Buffs didn’t let up in the second half. Colorado pushed its lead to 30 midway through the period and never let the Aggies mount anything that resembled a serious comeback down the stretch.

TURNING POINT: Colorado trailed 14-12 early, but used a 15-2 run to take a 27-16 lead, then built the margin to 13 two minutes later and the Aggies never closed the gap to single digits again.

NEXT UP: The Buffs will play in the fifth place game Sunday at 5 p.m.

–

—–

November 17th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs Giveth; Buffs Taketh Away: CU falls to UMass, 66-63

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado rallied late but could not completely overcome an 11-point second half deficit Thursday as the Buffaloes dropped a 66-63 decision to Massachusetts in the first round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

Tad Boyle‘s Buffs fell to 2-2 with the loss while UMass improved to 2-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado trailed 37-34 at the break, then watched UMass take control midway through the second half with an 11-0 run. The Buffs endured an 0-for-9 stretch from the floor that produced a five-minute scoring drought and UMass turned a 47-47 tie into a 58-47 lead with 7:31 to play.

But Colorado slowly whittled away at the lead. CU used a 6-0 run to pull within 61-58 with 4:12 left to play and still trailed by just five, 62-58, with just more than three minutes remaining.

Colorado missed several opportunities to close the gap over the next two minutes before UMass finally pushed its lead to seven, 65-58, with 1:26 left to play.

But the Buffaloes quickly answered with a Tristan da Silva 3-pointer and CU trailed by just four, 65-61, with 1:17 still to play.

Colorado then cut the deficit to just two with under a minute to play on a da Silva fadeaway, then missed an opportunity to take the lead seconds later when a da Silva 3-pointer drew iron.

Following a Noah Fernandes free throw that pushed the Minutemen’s lead back to three, 66-63, the Buffs missed two 3-point tries in the final seconds to hand UMass the win.

CU shot just 11-for-37 from the field in the second half and just 4-for-9 from the free throw line.

The Buffs started the game quickly, hitting six of their first eight shots to take a 13-7 lead less than five minutes in. Julian Hammond III had a 3-pointer early and KJ Simosn had four points to help Colorado push ahead early.

But the Minutemen responded with a 7-0 run, aided by two Colorado turnovers, and the game became a see-saw affair the rest of the half. The first period featured eight ties and 12 lead changes.

The Buffs didn’t help their cause on the offensive end. CU hit just eight of its final 28 field goal tries of the half while the Minutemen warmed up. UMass finished the first half 16-for-30 from the field and Colorado trailed, 37-34, at the break.

Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson led CU with eight points apiece in the first 20 minutes. The Minutemen got a big boost from guards RJ Luis and Noah Fernandes, with Luis scoring 13 off the bench and Fernandes adding 11.

–

—

Buffs taking on UMass at Myrtle Beach Classic (11:30 a.m., MT, ESPNU)

From the Daily Camera … It is just the second week of the season, but in a 40-hour span last week the Buffs may have learned a crucial lesson that could serve them well in Myrtle Beach and beyond. The effort, particularly on defense, simply wasn’t there at Grambling, and the Buffs lost against a less talented but far hungrier team.

The opposite was the case on Sunday. The talent gap between CU and the Vols may not have been quite as wide as between Grambling and the Buffs, but the energy and intensity on display during the win in Nashville should serve notice the Buffs have the ability to defeat anybody on their schedule — assuming they hit the floor with that same energy and intensity every night.

“We talk a lot about how you’re going to respond, how you’re going to handle adversity,” Wright said. “We’re now three games into the season, but we’ve got a lot of season left. We’re going to be in tough spots. There’s going to be in games on the road where there’s not a lot of people in the gym, not a lot of energy, and you’ve got to come in with the same mindset every game.

“What coach says a lot that we really have to resonate is we have to respect everybody but fear nobody. He said we didn’t respect Grambling going in and we took that game for granted. But we didn’t fear Tennessee and responded. That’s kind of what the season’s about, is responding. I think we’re going to have a much better mindset going into every game and it’s going to be a great lesson for us going down the line.”

–

Game Notes …

ABOUT THE MINUTEMEN: UMass is 1-1 overall, splitting a pair of home games last week. The Minutemen defeated Central Connecticut State 94-67, on Nov. 7, but then fell to Towson State, 67-55, on November 10th. UMass is shooting 45 percent from the floor and 36 percent from the 3-point line over its first two games.

Forward Isaac Kante has led the Minutemen in scoring averaging 13.0 points over the first two games while shooting 71.4 percent from the field (10-14). Dyondre Dominguez is averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 69.2 percent (9-13). Senior guard Noah Fernandes, a Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team pick, is averaging 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Frank Martin is in his first season as the head coach at UMass. He is in his 16th year overall as an NCAA Divison I head coach, with stops at Kansas State (2007-12) and South Carolina (2012-22).

THE SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between Colorado and UMass with the Minutemen holding a 2-1 series edge. All three previous games have been on a neutral floor. The Buffaloes lone win was in the Third Place game of the 1991 NIT, Colorado took a 98-81 decision to end its season at Madison Square Garden. The last meeting was a 79-68 UMass decision on Dec. 20, 1997, in Las Vegas.

PRESEASON TOURNAMENTS: Colorado has won eight preseason tournaments – also called MTE’s or multi-team events – most recently the 2019 MGM Resorts Main Event in Las Vegas by defeating Wyoming (56-41) and Clemson (71-67).

–

—–

November 15th

… CU at the Arena … 

CU picks up a commitment from four-star 6’10” power forward Assane Diop from Lakewood 

… Rivals bio … (four-stars, No. 21 power forward in the nation, chose CU over Seton Hall and Arkansas. Diop had other offers from Kansas, Texas A&M, Illinois, Memphis and Kansas State) … 247 Sports bio … No. 13 center in the country; No. 2 overall player out of Colorado; No. 92 player nationally … Also showing offers from Auburn, BYU, Illinois, and Mississippi State …

From the Daily Camera … It was a jam-packed week of news for the Colorado men’s basketball team. And it was only the opening week.

Since the Buffaloes began the season with a win against UC Riverside, fans have celebrated the signing of a top-25 prospect in Cody Williams, endured an ugly loss, and watched a dramatic lineup shakeup lead to a big-time victory away from home. Oh yeah, and CU’s KJ Simpson won the season’s first Pac-12 Player of the Week award.

On Tuesday, the headlines kept coming.

The Buffs added to the excitement they have built on the recruiting trail by securing the commitment of Denver big man Assane Diop, who announced his decision on Tuesday afternoon during a press conference in Lakewood. The addition of Diop also left head coach Tad Boyle, now in his 13th season at CU, in a unique position regarding the construction of his roster.

The 6-foot-10 Diop is listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports but is a four-star in the 247Sports composite rankings. His weight is unclear — 247Sports has Diop listed at 210, while a release sent late last week on the behalf of his club, Accelerated Prep, lists Diop at 190. Regardless, his commitment adds to a 2023 class that should make a heavy impact immediately at CU.

247Sports has Diop ranked as the No. 2 recruit in Colorado and No. 132 nationally.

Diop’s commitment arrives six days after the Buffs landed Williams, the brother of the 12th pick in this year’s NBA draft, Jalen Williams, and the No. 21 prospect in the nation, per 247Sports. The Buffs also landed 6-foot-5 Courtney Anderson Jr., an athletic combo guard out of the Bay Area whose father is a former NFL tight end.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 14th

… CU in the Arena … 

K.J. Simpson named Pac-12 Player of the Week

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado sophomore guard KJ Simpson has been named the Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for his efforts during the league’s opening week, the conference office announced on Monday.

Simpson, a native of West Hills, Calif., averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in three games last week. He shot 41 percent from the field (17-42) and 72 percent from the free throw line (13-18).

Simpson recorded his first career double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Buffaloes to a 78-66 win over then No. 11 ranked Tennessee on Nov. 13. Both figures were career highs for Simpson as was his seven field goals made. Coming off the bench, he had 15 points, seven rebounds and hit 7 of 9 free throws in the second half alone.

An honorable mention to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team, Simpson also led the Buffaloes in the Grambling State game, on Nov. 11, with 16 points and a season-high four assists. He scored 14 points on 50 percent shooting (5-10), with three assists and two steals in the opener against UC Riverside on Nov. 7.

The Player of the Week honor is the first for Simpson, and first for Colorado since McKinley Wright IV on March 1, 2021, his last of four that season. Simpson was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in 2021-22. Simpson was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in 2021-22.

–

—

CU “receiving votes” in latest AP Top 25 poll

From ESPN …

Rising

Illinois (2-0) had the biggest jump, climbing four spots to No. 19 after two easy home wins. No. 14 Arizona and No. 21 Dayton each rose three spots. In all, 12 teams moved up from the preseason poll.

Sliding

Tennessee (1-1) took the biggest tumble, falling 11 spots to No. 22 after losing to Colorado in its home state.

Kansas — which fell out of the voting tie at No. 5 — Creighton and No. 15 TCU fell one spot each to round out the four teams that slid from their preseason rankings.

Status quo

Seven teams, all inside the top 10, held their preseason position.

Welcome

No. 24 Texas A&M and No. 25 Connecticut are the week’s new additions. The Huskies spent most of last season in the AP Top 25, and the Aggies joined the poll for the first time under fourth-year coach Buzz Williams. Texas A&M was last ranked in February 2018, a season that ended with an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.

Farewell (for now)

Others receiving votes: Michigan State 119, Purdue 104, Villanova 96, Miami 61, Saint Louis 47, Xavier 44, Oregon 36, Iowa 36, Ohio State 36, Memphis 20, Virginia Tech 13, Colorado 11, Arizona State 9, Toledo 8, Rutgers 8, Saint Mary’s 7, Florida 5, Grambling 4, UC Irvine 4, Seton Hall 3, Penn State 1

–

—–

November 13th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Upset! Buffs knock off No. 11 Tennessee on the road, 78-66

From CUBuffs.com … Less than 48 hours after a shocking loss at Grambling, Tad Boyle‘s Colorado Buffaloes bounced back in a big way Sunday with a 78-66 win over No. 11 Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena.

The Buffs improved to 2-1 with the win on what was technically a neutral floor but in front of a crowd of 12,482 dominated by Tennessee fans. They saw their Volunteers fall to 1-1.

The victory was Colorado’s first over a ranked team away from home since beating No. 13 Dayton early in the 2019-20 season. It was also the highest-ranked team CU has beaten away from home since the Buffs beat No. 6 Missouri in the 1990 Big Eight tournament.

Sophomore guard KJ Simpson led Colorado with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double — both career highs — while Tristan da Silva added 14 points and J’Vonne Hadley had five points and 10 rebounds.

Josiah-Jordan James and Tyreke Key each scored 15 for the Volunteers.

The Buffs were a completely different team than the bunch that dropped an 83-74 decision at Grambling in a lackluster performance Friday. CU played with energy from the outset and trailed by two at the half, then turned on the offensive jets and kept the defensive pressure on after halftime to secure the win. Colorado took a 39-38 lead on a Jalen Gabbidon 3-pointer early in the second half and never trailed again. CU built its cushion to as much as 14 down the stretch.

After allowing Grambling to shoot 50 percent from the floor, the Buffs held Tennessee to 25 percent shooting (16-for-63), including a 10-for-37 effort from 3-point range. The Buffs also had a dominant 47-38 edge on the boards and while they committed 19 turnovers, they actually outscored Tennessee in points off turnovers, 16-14.

Colorado’s big edge came in the paint, where the Buffs outscored the Vols 34-10. CU’s bench also outscored their Tennessee counterparts, 52-34.

“We really got after them defensively,” Boyle said. “The grit and toughness our guys showed was great. We beat a very good basketball team.”

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado trailed by two at the half before using an 8-0 run early in the second period to take a 42-38 lead. Gabbidon and Julian Hammond III both hit 3-pointers to fuel the surge.

The Buffs then slowly built their edge, getting solid play on the defensive end and good ball movement on offense. An Ethan Wright 3-pointer pushed the Buffs’ edge to 49-45 with just under 13 minutes to play and two Simpson free throws four minutes later gave Colorado a 55-48 edge.

Simpson scored 15 of his points in the second half while da Silva had 10 of his after intermission.

“A lot of us were disappointed after Grambling,” Simpson said. “Coach was really disappointed. My job as a leader of this team is to set the tone. It’s all about a tough mindset.”

The Buffs continued to maintain their defensive pressure over the final minutes. With eight minutes remaining, Colorado held a 57-50 edge and Tennessee was just 5-for-20 from the floor in the period.

After a timeout, the Buffs’ offense truly caught fire, putting together a 9-0 run to build a 14-point lead.

Simpson started the run with a pair of layups. Hammond followed with another drive to the bucket. Da Silva then drained a 3-pointer from the top off an assist from Lawson Lovering to give Colorado a 66-52 cushion with just under five minutes to play.

“That three was really the dagger,” Boyle said.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—

Buffs face challenge in taking on No. 11 Tennessee: “We’ve got to put Grambling behind us”

From the Daily Camera … For CU, coming off a ragged and disjointed loss at Grambling State on Friday in the first game of a five-game road trip, the Buffs will have to get much better in a hurry to put up a fight against the 11th-ranked Volunteers.

“We’ve got to use (Grambling) as a learning experience, learn from our mistakes that we made,” CU’s Nique Clifford said. “We have a tough opponent on Sunday in Tennessee, so we’ve got to put (Grambling) behind us, learn from it, and move on to the next one and get ready.”

Early in the 2020-21 season, the Buffs faced a sudden void in their schedule when virus issues canceled the rivalry game against Colorado State. At the time, former CU assistant Kim English was an assistant at Tennessee, and he conspired with former Buffs guard Nate Tomlinson, then CU’s director of player development, to set up not only a replacement matchup that week, but a three-game series.

Game Notes … 

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado is 1-1 on the season after falling at Grambling State as part of the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series on Nov. 11th. The Buffaloes opened its 120th season of varsity men’s basketball with an 82-66 win over UC Riverside on Nov. 7 at the CU Events Center. It’s the first time in seven seasons the Buffaloes didn’t start with wins in their first two contests.

Colorado has had scoring balance with four players in double-digits in both games. Sophomore guard KJ Simpson is averaging a team-best 15.0 points and 3.5 assists per game. Simpson led the Buffaloes against Grambling State with 16 points and four assists.

Junior J’Vonne Hadley is leading the Buffaloes on the boards at 8.0 per game and is second in scoring (14.0 ppg) while shooting 50 percent from the field. Hadley led Colorado in the opener with 16 points and eight rebounds.

ABOUT THE VOLS: Tennessee is 1-0 overall, defeating Tennessee Tech, 75-43, in its home opener. The Volunteers are ranked No. 11 in both the Associated Press and Ferris Mowers Coaches Preseason Polls.

Tyreke Key led Tennessee in the opener with 17 points, hitting 4 of 8 from 3-point range. Zakai Zeigler had 12 points and dished out five of Tennessee’s 21 assists. Santiago Vescovi had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Tennessee was picked third in the Preseason SEC Media Poll.

SERIES RECORDS: This will be the fifth meeting between Colorado and Tennessee. The Volunteers have won all four previous meetings including a 69-54 decision in Boulder on Dec. 4, 2021.

Colorado is 70-118 against current SEC schools, which looks odd, but a 55-96 all-time record vs. Missouri factors into that. Remove the Tigers, and Texas A&M (series tied 9-9), the Buffaloes are 6-13 against the rest of the SEC.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 11th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs embarrassed on the road, falling to Grambling State, 83-74

From the Daily Camera … A long road trip just became much more daunting for the Colorado men’s basketball team.

Unable to slow hot-shooting Grambling State while giving away far too many first half turnovers, the Buffaloes began a five-game trip with an 83-74 loss on Friday night.

A surprisingly sparse crowd greeted the Buffs at the Hobdy Assembly Center, but Grambling put on a shooting clinic for the Tigers fans that showed up. Grambling torched the CU defense for a .500 overall shooting percentage with a 7-for-17 mark on 3-pointers. The Tigers spent the bulk of the night over the 50% mark.

CU (1-1) wasn’t much better offensively, or on the glass. CU shot just 5-for-21 from long range, and the Buffs’ 11 first-half turnovers led to 14 points for Grambling, which led 46-32 at the break. The Tigers at one point led by 19 points. CU finished with 19 turnovers.

The Buffs cut the deficit to nine on several occasions in the second half but couldn’t get any closer until a seven-point deficit in the waning minutes.

KJ Simpson shot just 5-for-16 but led the Buffs with 16 points. Nique Clifford was one of the few bright spots offensively, going 7-for-12 with 15 points.

–

—

Grambling State is CU’s first opponent in the “Legacy Series” 

From the Daily Camera … The agreement between the Pac-12 and the HBCUs of the SWAC has been dubbed the “Legacy Series,” and CU’s game at Grambling will be the first road game for a Pac-12 club in the inaugural round of games. Oregon topped Florida A&M on opening night on Monday, and USC rebounded from its opening night loss against Florida Gulf Coast by defeating Alabama State 96-58 on Thursday night. Arizona also hosts a Legacy Series game on Friday night against Southern.

The final Legacy Series games on the men’s side will be road games for the Pac-12 teams, with Arizona State visiting Texas Southern on Sunday, followed by Washington State at Prairie View A&M on Tuesday. Grambling State is set to visit CU next season.

Cutting KJ turnovers

KJ Simpson’s debut as CU’s starting point guard followed a similar blueprint in the exhibition win against Nebraska as well as the season-opening win on Monday against UC Riverside. Simpson’s up-tempo pace and ability to share the ball helped the Buffs get off to quick starts in both contests, but he ultimately finished with an identical below-par ratio of three assists against four turnovers each time.

“That’s something I’ve obviously been working on a lot,” Simpson said. “I spent a huge amount of time in the offseason watching film, just coming in the gym and working strictly on passes, ball-handling. But the turnovers, I take full responsibility for that. I know as the season goes on I can’t be doing that stuff. Especially with a year of experience and my role being much bigger than what it was last year. I just have to cut down on that, and I will.”

… Continue reading story here …

Game Notes … 

OPENERS: Colorado tipped off its 120th season of varsity men’s basketball with an 82-66 win over UC Riverside on Nov. 7 at the CU Events Center. Colorado improved to 85-35 (.708) in all-time season openers and has won its last seven. The Buffaloes are 11-2 under head coach Tad Boyle and 38-5 in overall season openers since 1980-81.

The Buffaloes are 96-24 (.800) all-time in home openers, have won their last 15 and 21 of their last 22. Boyle’s teams are 13-0 in home openers.

NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 111-34 (.766) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 64-17 mark (.790) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. Colorado is 83-7 (.922) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 6-1 mark in postseason action.

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Grambling State opened its season with an 82-57 home win over UNT-Dallas on Nov. 7. Carte’are Gordon led the Grambling State effort with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Shawndarius Cowart and Terrence Lewis had 13 points each while Zahad Munford had 10 points off the bench.

Grambling State was picked to finish sixth in the SWAC Preseason poll. Cameron Christian was selected to the Preseason All-SWAC First Team.

THE SERIES: This is the second all-time meeting between Colorado and Grambling State. The Buffaloes won the first meeting, 93-47, on Dec. 29, 2007, in Boulder. Colorado is 13-0 all-time against the Southwest Athletic Conference. This will be the Buffaloes’ first road game with a SWAC opponent.

… Continue with Game Notes here …

–

—–

November 10th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU’s two-week, five-game road trip begins Friday v. Grambling (6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+, Pac-12 Networks)

From the Daily Camera … Make no mistake, this is a business trip for the Colorado men’s basketball team. A long one, sure, but a business trip nonetheless.

However, it will begin with a few historical and cultural lessons.

After opening the season with a solid home win against UC Riverside, and then celebrating the addition of five-star recruit Cody Williams on national signing day, the Buffaloes begin a two-week, five-game trip on Friday night in the program’s first visit to Grambling State University.

The matchup is part of the inaugural round of games in the Legacy Series, an offseason agreement made between the Pac-12 Conference and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Buffs likely will face a raucous environment, as the Tigers are hosting a power conference foe for the first time. But the day also will begin with a visit to the Eddie G. Robinson museum, which honors the contributions, on and off the field, of Grambling’s legendary former football coach.

It will offer a few teaching points to start an extended trip in which keeping up with class work will be just one of the items testing the Buffs’ focus.

“We sat down maybe a few days ago and learned some of the history of HBCUs, so we have that knowledge going into this trip,” said CU wing Nique Clifford, a Colorado Springs native. “We know how much it means for us to go on this trip and learn a lot of history off the court. So that’s going to be a really cool experience, just being able to see their culture, see their campus and see how different it is from where we are every day. I’m definitely excited about that piece of it.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 9th

… CU in the Arena … 

Cody Williams: “It was about putting all the fancy stuff, the glitz and glamour aside and getting into the nitty gritty about what was the best for me”

From 247 Sports … “For me the only thing I was looking at was the best fit for me and what was going to help me reach my goals,” said Williams. “The name, the NIL, all of that stuff is cool but at the end of the day if I pick the right school and do what I’m supposed to do then God willing I will be making 10x more than I would from NIL at any school. So it was about putting all the fancy stuff, the glitz and glamour aside and getting into the nitty gritty about what was the best for me.”

Right about now Colorado fans are racing to find out all they can about Williams and they should. He’s a big wing who is skilled, handles the ball extremely well and is very capable playmaker for others. His own scouting report of what he can bring to the table in Boulder is pretty much dead on.

“I think a big thing is versatility,” said Williams. “With my size, length and quickness I can defend multiple positions and then I’m unselfish so I look to move the ball. I like to find my teammates. Then I bring a threat offensively because I can see the floor, I like to shoot it which is something I’m still improving on.”

… “The people of Colorado should know that I’m bringing energy and that each time I step on the floor I’m going to be giving it all that I’ve got and if they see me around campus to say hi, I don’t bite, most of the time,” said Williams.

“Really on becoming a lockdown defender,” said Williams when asked what he’s working on the most. “I have the physical attributes to become a lockdown defender so I’ve been working very hard on that. Then being a more consistent shooter. I’m trying to get to the point where if I’m left open or if I have a catch and shoot everybody knows it’s going in. Those are the biggest things.”

… Read full story here …

–

—

CU receives a commitment from five-star forward Cody Williams (the highest-rated CU signing in the Rivals era, which dates back to 2002)

From ESPN … Five-star senior Cody Williams committed to Colorado on Wednesday, giving the Buffaloes their first five-star men’s basketball prospect in at least 15 years.

Williams chose Tad Boyle’s program over LSU, although Arizona, UCLA and USC, among others, also recruited him.

“The program and the players are very connected, and they have built a great culture,” Williams told ESPN. “I see myself as part of it. I love the staff and Coach Boyle. When Coach Boyle tells you something, you know it is the truth whether it’s on or off the court. It is to help you. He is a very genuine person.”

Williams is the younger brother of Jalen Williams, the Santa Clara star who came out of nowhere to be selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the lottery of last year’s NBA draft.

“My brother was a tremendous help with the process,” he said. “He told me what to look for in a program. A place I would fit, play, and learn. I see myself achieving my goals in Colorado. Playing in the NCAA tournament, being one of the top freshmen in the country and someday in the NBA. I plan to take everything one step at a time.”

A 6-foot-8 small forward from Perry High School (Arizona), Williams is ranked No. 14 in the ESPN 100 for the 2023 class — slotting in as the No. 3 small forward in the country. He averaged 15.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 24 games with Vegas Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer.

Williams is Colorado’s first five-star recruit since the ESPN recruiting database began in 2007 and the Buffaloes’ first ESPN 100 commitment since the 2021 class. He joins four-star guard Courtney Anderson, who picked Colorado earlier in the fall.

–

—

From CUSportsReport … Colorado has scored a major recruiting win on the first day of the early signing period. Wednesday, four-star wing Cody Williams  announced his commitment to the Buffaloes over a host of other offers including LSU, Arizona, UCLA, Georgia Tech, USC and many others.

Williams is now the highest-rated prospect to sign with Tad Boyle’s program in the Rivals era, which goes back to 2002.

The versatile 6-foot-8 wing from Gilbert, Arizona took his time with the recruiting process before settling in on several official visits throughout the summer and fall. CU was one of the first schools to get him out on a visit in the summer when he visited Boulder in August.

He then made trips to LSU, Arizona and USC before zeroing in on his decision.

Williams, who is the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Jalen Williams, took a unique path through the recruiting process after watching his brother become a lottery pick after playing at Santa Clara. Ultimately, what he valued was finding the right fit over anything else.

The four-star prospect, who ranks No. 42 overall in the Rivals rankings, wants to make an immediate impact and CU was one of the programs that will allow him to do that.

“For me, it doesn’t matter where I go. It’s the best fit for me. Whichever place can help develop me and get me to where I see myself going, that’s kind of the factor for me. So it doesn’t matter where I go as long as I can be the best player I can be,” he told CU Sports Report.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

November 7th – Game Day!

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs take care of business with 82-66 opening win over UC-Riverside

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado produced balanced scoring and the Buffaloes received some solid performances from their newcomers Monday as CU opened the season with an 82-66 win over UC Riverside at the CU Events Center.

The Buffs built a double-digit lead midway through the first half, held a 46-28 edge at the half and never let the Highlanders come closer than 10 in the second half.

The Buffs finished with four players in double figures, led by a 15-point effort from junior college transfer J’Vonne Hadley, who just missed a double-double in his CU debut, finishing with nine rebounds. Point guard KJ Simpson scored 14 and Tristan da Silva and Jalen Gabbidon each added 12 to the CU effort.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado led early, 10-5, before the Highlanders put together a 10-4 run to take a 15-14 lead with 11:13 to play in the first half.

But the Buffs quickly righted themselves after a timeout, putting together a 14-0 run to take control. Nique Clifford had a 3-pointer early in the surge, Tristan da Silva added another triple three possessions later and Jalen Gabbidon wrapped it up with a second-chance bucket and free throw to give Colorado a 28-15 edge with 7:46 still to play in the half.

The Buffs then maintained their double-digit edge the rest of the half, building it to as much as 19 (45-26) before heading into intermission with a 46-28 edge.

Colorado finished the first half with 10 assists on 19 baskets while forcing nine UCR turnovers on the defensive end that led to 15 CU points. The Buffs used 10 different players in the first half, with nine breaking into the scoring column.

CU pushed its cushion to 21 early in the second half before UCR made a brief run with an 8-0 surge to pull within 55-42, prompting a Boyle timeout.

The Buffs then responded by stopping the Highlanders run and built the lead back into the 20s. UCR managed to cut Colorado’s cushion back down to 10 in the final minutes but could never come closer.

–

— 

Game Notes … Colorado is 84-35 (.706) in all-time season openers and has won its last six. The Buffaloes are 10-2 under head coach Tad Boyle and 37-5 in overall season openers since 1980-81.

The Buffaloes are 95-24 (.798) all-time in home openers, have won their last 14 and 20 of their last 21. Boyle’s teams are 12-0 in home openers.

NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 110-34 (.764) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 63-17 mark (.788) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. Colorado is 82-7 (.932) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 6-1 mark in postseason action.

NOVEMBER ‘REIGN’: Since the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Colorado is tied with Arkansas for the best winning percentage in the month of November in NCAA Division I. The Buffaloes have won 16 of their last 17, the only blemish coming last season against Southern Illinois in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

ABOUT THE HIGHLANDERS: UC Riverside begins its 21st season at the NCAA Division I level on Monday against the Buffaloes. The Highlanders out of the Big West Conference were 16-12 a year ago, finishing sixth in the league race at 9-6. UC Riverside had a notable nonconference win at Arizona State on a buzzer beating 3-pointer last season.

All-Big West guard Zyon Pullin led UCR at 14.3 points and 4.3 assists per game last season.

UCR defeated CSU Dominguez Hills 94-79 in its lone exhibition game on Oct. 28. Flynn Cameron led the Highlanders with 21 points, shooting 7 of 15 from the field. Kyle Owens, a transfer from Montana, had 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting along with a team-best nine rebounds. The Highlanders are picked to finish fifth in the 2022-23 race according to the Big West Preseason Poll.

… Read full Game Notes here …

–

—

Buffs open season at home against UC-Riverside: “We’re not going to play a perfect game”

From the Daily Camera … As far as motivational speeches go, Tad Boyle wasn’t exactly spouting win-one-for-the-Gipper material as Colorado honed in on its men’s basketball season opener.

By no means is Boyle bracing for the worst when the Buffaloes begin their 120th season of varsity basketball at home on Monday night against UC Riverside. But, even as they harbor expectations of outplaying the bulk of their preseason projections, there is an admission the Buffs will be a work in progress — particularly during an early slate featuring the start of a two-week road trip later this week.

“We’re not going to play a perfect game on Monday, I’ve got news for you,” Boyle said. “We’re going to make mistakes. We’ve got to play through mistakes. We’ve got to not get your head down when mistakes happen. And let the chips fall where they may.”

Although the Buffs impressed during a dress rehearsal last week against Nebraska, posting a 71-62 exhibition win, Monday’s opener marks the official debut of a Buffs squad balanced equally between veterans who have developed within the program and newcomers expecting to give CU a deep and balanced rotation.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

October 30th 

… CU in the Arena … 

CU jumps to 10-0 lead, handles Nebraska 72-61 in exhibition

Head coach Tad Boyle, KJ Simpson and J’Vonne Hadley discuss win over Nebraska …

–

—–

October 26th 

CU picked to finish 6th in Pac-12 Preseason media poll

From the Pac-12 … For the third consecutive preseason, UCLA has been chosen the favorite to win the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball title in a vote of 33 media members who cover the league and announced prior to the league’s 2022 Media Day on Wednesday.

The preseason No. 8 nationally ranked Bruins, who received 26-of-33 first-place votes, return four of their top seven scorers from a team that finished runner-up in the Pac-12 regular season and tournament in 2021-22.

Defending champion and No. 17 nationally ranked ARIZONA, which became the first program in Conference history to reach 18 league wins last season, picked up three first-place votes and finished second in the prediction. No. 21 OREGON also garnered a trio of first-place votes to place third, marking the eighth straight polling the Ducks are inside the top 4.

USC, which joined the Bruins and Wildcats in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, was picked fourth. STANFORD collected the final first-place vote and slotted fifth, while COLORADO rounded out the top half of the poll.

Media have correctly picked the Conference winner 17 times in 33 tries, including five times in the Pac-12 era (since 2011-12), while the winner has been accurately chosen in 21 of the 38 all-time preseason votes.

2022-23 Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll (First-Place Votes in parentheses)
1. UCLA (26) – 386 pts.
2. Arizona (3) – 352
3. Oregon (3) – 336
4. USC – 300
5. Stanford (1) – 239
6. Colorado – 207
7. Arizona State – 193
8. Washington State – 185
9. Washington – 158
10. Utah – 102
11. California – 69
12. Oregon State – 47

–

CU 2022-23 Roster … 

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Exp Hometown (High School/Previous School)
0 *Luke O’Brien G 6-8 210 Jr. 2L Littleton, Colo. (Columbine)
1 Julian Hammond III G 6-3 190 So. 1L Denver, Colo. (Cherry Creek)
2 KJ Simpson G 6-2 187 So. 1L West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade)
3 Jalen Gabbidon G 6-5 205 Gr. TR Harrisburg, Pa. (Glenelg Country School/Yale)
5 Quincy Allen G/F 6-8 198 Fr. RS Silver Spring, Md. (Maret School [Washington D.C.])
10 RJ Smith G 6-3 185 Fr. HS Chino, Calif. (Damien)
11 Javon Ruffin G 6-5 195 Fr. RS New Orleans, La. (PHHoenix Prep [Ariz])
13 *J’Vonne Hadley G 6-6 206 Jr. TR St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall/Northeastern/Indian Hills CC)
14 Ethan Wright G 6-4 190 Gr. TR Newton Centre, Mass. (Newton North/Princeton)
15 Amondo Miller, Jr. G/F 6-6 187 Fr. RS Littleton, Colo. (Valor Christian)
23 *Tristan da Silva F 6-9 229 Jr. 2L Munich, Germany (Ludwigsgymnasium Munich)
24 Joe Hurlburt F 6-11 232 Fr. HS Enderlin, N.D. (Enderlin Area)
30 Greg Gerhardt F/C 6-10 212 Fr. HS Superior, Colo. (Monarch/Sunrise Christian (Kan.))
31 Harrison Carrington G/F 6-7 190 Fr. HS Menlo Park, Calif. (Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.])
32 *Nique Clifford G 6-6 200 Jr. 2L Colorado Springs, Colo. (The Vanguard School)
34 Lawson Lovering C 7-1 231 So. 1L Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central)
41 Cody Mains F 6-8 210 So. 1L Fairfax, Va. (Woodson)
44 Ethan Johnson G 5-11 148 Fr. HS Holyoke, Colo. (Holyoke)
* – Eligible for an additional year due to COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-21 season waiver)

–

—–

October 24th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tristan da Silva; K.J. Simpson named to preseason All-Pac-12 teams

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado junior forward Tristan da Silva was named to the 2022-23 men’s basketball Preseason All-Pac-12 Conference Second Team, voted on by media members who cover the league on Monday.

In addition, sophomore guard KJ Simpson earned honorable mention, receiving at least eight media member votes.

A 6-foot, 9-inch forward from Munich, Germany, da Silva is Colorado’s leading returning scorer from a year ago at 9.4 points per game. He ranked second on the team in field goal shooting (.479) and free throw percentage (.797), third in assists (61) and fourth in scoring and rebounding (3.5 rpg). During conference games, da Silva ranked third in 3-point percentage (.477), sixth in free throw percentage (.822) and ninth in overall field goal shooting (.525) on the league leaderboard.

Da Silva was one of five players on the Preseason All-Pac-12 Second Team. There are 10 players on the first team.

Simpson, a 6-2 guard from West Hills, Calif., was an All-Pac-12 Freshman Team selection in 2021-22 after averaging 7.4 points per game and leading the Buffaloes in assists (86) and steals (26). His 86 assists tied for the seventh most in a season by a CU freshman.

2022-23 Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Branden Carlson, Utah
Boogie Ellis, USC
Mouhamed Gueye, Washington State
Harrison Ingram, Stanford
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA
Spencer Jones, Stanford
Drew Peterson, USC
Will Richardson, Oregon
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona

Second Team
Marcus Bagley, Arizona State
Tristan da Silva, Colorado
DJ Horne, Arizona State
Kerr Kriisa, Arizona
Pelle Larsson, Arizona

Honorable Mention (at least 8 media member votes)
Amari Bailey, UCLA
Oumar Ballo, Arizona
Jaylen Clark, UCLA
Quincy Guerrier, Oregon
K.J. Simpson, Colorado
Kel’el Ware, Oregon

–

—–

October 18th

… CU in the Arena … 

ESPN and CBS Sports both have CU pegged for 9th in the Pac-12 

From CBS Sports … Pac-12 Predicted order of finish:

1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Oregon
4. USC
5. Stanford
6. Arizona State
7. Washington
8. Washington State
9. Colorado has surpassed 20 wins each of the past four seasons, but the Buffaloes may be challenged to keep that trajectory after losing their top three scorers from last season. Point guard K.J. Simpson made the Pac-12 All-Freshman team last season, and versatile forward Tristan Da Silva enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign. With Ivy League transfer guards Ethan Wright (Princeton) and Jalen Gabbidon (Yale) on board, the Buffs look solid on the perimeter. But sophomore center Lawson Lovering will need to make a big jump on the interior, where Colorado looks a bit lean following the departures of Jabari Walker and Evan Battey.
10. Utah
11. California
12. Oregon State

… Read full preview story here …

—

From ESPN … As the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season draws closer, ESPN.com’s panel of experts is predicting the order of finish for the nation’s top conferences. Having already looked at the mid-majors and the American, the focus now shifts to the Pac-12.

There is uncertainty ahead for this league. With both UCLA and USC set to bolt for the Big Ten in 2024 and reports that others schools within the conference could also be looking to move, it’s unclear what the Pac-12 will look like in the coming years, or if it can sustain its standing among the power conferences.

This season in men’s basketball, however, it faces a familiar challenge in the national landscape: This is a top-heavy conference with a couple of teams that seem capable of second-weekend potential. The last time that happened — 2020-2021 — two Pac-12 (Oregon State, USC) teams reached the Elite Eight, and UCLA only missed its chance to play in the title game because of a 30-foot buzzer beater from Gonzaga in the Final Four.

This league might lack last year’s star power, but the returning veterans should contribute to the collective postseason potential of the entire league.

ESPN Pac-12 predicted order of finish … 

1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Oregon
4. USC
5. Stanford
6. Arizona State
7. Washington State
8. Washington
9. Colorado 
10. Utah
11. California
12. Oregon State

… Read full preview story here …

–

—–

October 7th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs to hold an open scrimmage before the Cal game

From CUBuffs.com … CU men’s basketball will be hosting an open scrimmage at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Oct. 15th, prior to the football team’s home game against Cal. Admission is free to the public. Doors on the upper concourse will open at 8:45 am. The scrimmage will last about an hour.

–

—–

October 5th

… CU in the Arena … 

*Video: Tad Boyle’s Media Day*

From YouTube, courtesy of CUSportsReport … Boyle: “It’s going to be a fun team to coach … By the end of the season, this team could be very, very dangerous” …

–

—–

September 27th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU Basketball opens practices: “We lost some size, but we gained some speed”

From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball team opened official practice for the 2022-23 season on Monday at the CU Events Center, six weeks from the season opener against UC Riverside.

Between now and then, the Buffaloes will have 30 practices where a lot of questions will be answered. How does Colorado replace Evan Battey’s leadership? Who will become the leading scorer? Leading rebounder? Are the Buffaloes at a size disadvantage? Who is that “X-Factor?”

Time will tell, but for now an early look at some of those storylines.

Energy & Leadership
Energy and leadership have been key components to the culture the Buffaloes have built over the past five years, in large part due to once-in-a-generation players like Battey and McKinley Wright IV. But for the first time in five years, both are gone. The task going forward is figuring out who will step into those roles.

It will be up to the returners to continue to build on that culture and bring along the newcomers. KJ Simpson, a member of the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team a year ago, certainly has the motor and as the point guard should transition into a leadership role.

“Having played with Evan and learning so much from McKinley – I talk to him a lot – I feel like I’ve learned a lot and absorbing their knowledge, I feel like I’m ready to lead as well as with other guys,” Simpson said. “One person doesn’t just lead; the whole team can lead. But I feel like my role as a leader has to step up.”

Juniors Tristan da Silva, Luke O’Brien and Nique Clifford have the most experience within the Colorado locker room and all three are expecting to have increased roles.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

Tags: Bobi Klintman, Cody Williams, Courtney Anderson, Dominique Clifford, Eli Parquet, Ethan Wright, Evan Battey, J'Vonne Hadley, Jabari Walker, Jalen Gabbidon, Julian Hammond, K.J. Simpson, Keeshawn Barthelemy, KJ Simpson, Luke O'Brien, Nique Clifford, Tristan da Silva
This post, about the Colorado Basketball game, from the 2022 Season, is filed under Article.
You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.