Colorado Basketball – Spring/Summer, 2022

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Colorado Basketball – Spring/Summer, 2022

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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 …

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September 23rd 

… CU in the Arena … 

CU picks up three-star 6’5″ shooting guard Courtney Anderson, Jr.

From BuffStampede.com … Courtney Anderson Jr. is expected to be the third guard from California in the last year-and-a-half to sign with the Buffaloes.

The 6-foot-5, 180-pound shooting guard prospect from Dublin (Calif.) High announced his commitment to Colorado on social media Friday, less than seven weeks before the early signing period for basketball.

Colorado signed RJ Smith, from La Verne (Calif.) Damien, last November, and K.J. Simpson, from West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade, in April of 2021.

Anderson took other official visits, to Montana and Nevada, before joining the herd. He had other offers, from Arizona State, Cal Poly, Cal, San Diego State, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Jose State and Washington State.

“I liked that it is different out there than it is in California,” Anderson said of Colorado, following his trip to Boulder in early September. “It is a really nice environment out in Boulder. I really enjoyed that aspect of it.

“I also had a real good talk with the head coach, Coach Boyle, which gave me a good feel for it. I enjoyed learning about how Colorado basketball is run. They are big on culture, and the basketball program being a family. You have to be able to trust each other and have great character. That is what has helped them have success, and how they want to keep the program going forward.”

A is considered a three-star prospect, and is ranked No. 166 nationally on 247Sports.

… Continue reading story here …

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September 15th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU announces remaining Pac-12 schedule, opening December 1st v. Arizona State

From CUBuffs.com … The Pac-12 Conference has announced the game dates for the league’s 2022-23 men’s basketball season.

All 120 Conference games will be televised by either the Pac-12 Networks, the ESPN Family of Networks, FOX/FS1 or CBS. Tip times and television designations will come at a later date.

The Pac-12 previously announced the 12 games to be played in late November/early December to begin the third season of the conference’s 20-game schedule. Colorado hosts Arizona State on Thursday, Dec. 1 while traveling to Washington on Sunday, Dec. 4.

League play continues on Thursday, Dec. 29, when the Buffaloes will play at Stanford and finish off the 2022 calendar year at California on Saturday, Dec. 31.

The Buffaloes will resume their home Pac-12 schedule that next week, hosting Oregon on Thursday, Jan. 5, and Oregon State on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the CU Events Center.

Colorado will alternate two games home, two games away, for the first six weeks (12 games) of the main portion of the Pac-12 schedule. The Buffaloes’ final six games will consist of a three-game road trip, followed by a three-game homestand to wrap up the regular season.

Colorado will travel to Salt Lake City for a single game with Utah on Saturday, Feb. 11, followed by a trip to the desert to play Arizona State on Thursday, Feb. 16, and Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 18. The Buffaloes return home to host USC on Thursday, Feb. 23 and UCLA on Sunday, Feb. 26 ahead of the regular season finale against Utah on Saturday, Mar. 4.

All four of Colorado’s multi-game conference road trips will feature the traditional Thursday-Saturday matchups. The Buffaloes will have three Thursday-Sunday game weeks at the CU Events Center, beginning with Washington on Thursday, Jan. 19 and Washington State on Sunday, Jan. 22.

With the 20-game conference schedule, the Buffaloes play home-and-home with nine opponents and single games with two. For the 2022-23 season, Colorado will have a single home date with Washington State along with the second game with Washington. The Buffaloes will face Arizona only on the desert swing in February.

The 2023 Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament will once again be at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, March 8-11.

Colorado men’s basketball season tickets are on sale now, starting at $240 for reserved bench seating. Season tickets can be purchased by visiting CUBuffs.com/tickets. For more information on purchasing season tickets call 303-492-8282.

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August 15th

… CU in the Arena … 

Pac-12 weekly conference pairings set (Buffs to finish with three home games)

From the Pac-12 …

Pac-12 Men’s Basketball 2022-23 Early Conference Games
Wed., Nov. 30, 2022 – USC at California
Thurs., Dec. 1, 2022 – Arizona State at Colorado; Washington State at Oregon; Washington at Oregon State; UCLA at Stanford; Arizona at Utah
Sun., Dec. 4, 2022 – California at Arizona; Stanford at Arizona State; Oregon at UCLA; Oregon State at USC; Colorado at Washington; Utah at Washington State

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August 4th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU non-conference schedule set (CSU at CEC on December 8th)

From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado has announced its 2022-23 men’s basketball nonconference schedule which will feature no less than six teams that advanced to postseason play on the national level last year.

The Buffaloes will play six home games during nonconference play along with five previously announced road contests; four of those at neutral sites.

Colorado and Colorado State will battle for the first time in three years, headlining the home portion of the Buffaloes’ nonconference schedule. The Rams, coming off a 2022 NCAA Tournament appearance, will visit the CU Events Center on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Colorado officially tips off the 2022-23 season on Monday, Nov. 7, at home against UC Riverside.

Following the home opener, the Buffaloes will play all five of their road nonconference games in a span of nine days. The Buffaloes will take a historic trip to Grambling State, part of the Pac-12/Southwestern Athletic Conference educational and scheduling partnership, playing the Tigers on Friday, Nov. 11 in Grambling, La. Colorado will then travel to meet 2021-22 SEC Tournament champion Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 13, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

The next weekend Colorado continues on the road to participate in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Invitational in Conway, S.C. As recently reported, the Buffaloes will open with UMass on Thursday, Nov. 17 and play either Texas A&M or Murray State on Friday, Nov. 18, with a final game on Sunday, Nov. 20.

After a road-heavy start, Colorado will play six of its next seven at home, a string that includes two early season Pac-12 games. First, the Buffaloes will host 2021-22 Ivy League Tournament champion and NCAA participant Yale on Sunday, Nov. 27, serving as a reunion for Colorado graduate transfer Jalen Gabbidon who played for the Bulldogs from 2017-21.

The Buffaloes switch over to Pac-12 action for the next two, hosting Arizona State on Thursday, Dec. 1, and traveling to Washington on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Following the Colorado State game on Dec. 8, the Buffaloes round out the nonconference schedule with three home games, starting with a first-ever meeting with North Alabama on Thursday, Dec. 15. Colorado will then host a pair of Big Sky Conference foes, facing Northern Colorado on Sunday, Dec. 18, and Southern Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 21.

Times and television for all games will be announced later this summer along with the remainder of the Pac-12 schedule.

Colorado men’s basketball season tickets are on sale now, starting at $240 for reserved bench seating. Those looking to purchase online can visit CUBuffs.com/tickets to leave a deposit at this time with a follow up from a member of the CU Athletic Ticket Office sales team. For more information on purchasing season tickets call 303-492-8282.

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July 26th

… CU in the Arena … 

Bracket Set for Myrtle Beach Classic in November

Press Release from CUBuffs.com … The bracket for the fourth annual 2022 Myrtle Beach Invitational has been set with the University of Colorado men’s basketball team scheduled to face UMass in a first round game on Thursday, November 17th, at 11:30 a.m. MT.

The eight-team event will be held at the HTC Center on the campus of Costal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. All games will be televised across the ESPN networks during Feast Week. Past Myrtle Beach Invitational champions include UCF (2018), Baylor (2019) and Utah State (2021).

The Buffaloes will play either Murray State or Texas A&M in their second game on Friday, November 18th, with a third game on Sunday, November 20th against either Boise State, Charlotte, Loyola or Tulsa.  The Championship game is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. MT on ESPN or ESPN2.

Colorado has had success in the state of South Carolina. The Buffaloes won the Charleston Classic during the 2012-13 season which culminated in a 21-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Tickets for the 2022 Myrtle Beach Invitational will go on sale to the public on August 15.  Fans can secure up to $25 off each all-tournament ticket by signing up for the pre-sale at MyrtleBeachInvite.com.  Discounted hotel accommodations at official fan properties will soon be available through our travel partner On Location. Fans can sign up for updates here.

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July 19th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs to take on SEC Champ Tennessee in Nashville on November 13th

From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s basketball team will meet reigning SEC Tournament champion Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 13, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

The contest completes a three-game series between the two teams that originally developed during the pandemic. Tennessee took the first two games of this series, 56-47 on Dec. 8, 2020, in Knoxville, and 69-54 on Dec. 4, 2021, in Boulder. The Vols have won all four series meetings between the two programs.

Colorado looks to continue to build on its recent success which has included four-straight 20-win seasons and a pair of Pac-12 Conference top-four finishes.

The Buffaloes will have to replace their top three scorers from last season’s NIT team, but are confident in a young group led by 2022 All-Pac-12 Freshman team point guard KJ Simpson, junior guard Nique Clifford and junior forward Tristan da Silva.

In addition, the Buffaloes bring in two All-Ivy League graduate transfers in Ethan Wright from Princeton and Jalen Gabbidon from Yale and junior college All-American guard J’Vonne Hadley from Indian Hills CC (Iowa).

Head coach Tad Boyle is entering his 13th season at Colorado, needing just eight wins to become the school’s all-time leader.

Tennessee upperclassmen Santiago Vescovi—a 2022 first-team All-SEC performer—Josiah-Jordan James, Olivier Nkamhoua and Uros Plavsic lead a group of seven returners from last season’s squad that also includes SEC All-Defensive Team selection Zakai Zeigler and rising sophomores Jonas Aidoo and Jahmai Mashack.

Tennessee’s returning contributors are complemented by five scholarship newcomers—transfer guard Tyreke Key along with highly-rated high school prospects Tobe Awaka, B.J. Edwards, D.J. Jefferson and McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips.

Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 9 a.m. MT through Ticketmaster. Game time and television will be announced at a later date.

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July 14th

… CU in the Arena … 

Jabari Walker earns his NBA contract with Portland

From nba.com … The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie forward Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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June 24th

… CU in the Arena … 

Pac-12 NBA Draft winners and losers: CU (and Tad Boyle) a winner

From the San Jose Mercury News … The Pac-12 dodged a dash of ignominy Thursday evening in the NBA Draft, but it couldn’t escape a trend.

The conference produced three first-round selections, albeit barely: UCLA wing Peyton Watson was the final pick (by Denver via Oklahoma City) and joined Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin and Dalen Terry to form the trio of top-30 selections.

With that, the Pac-12 avoided tying its expansion-era low of two first-round picks.

But the news of three first-rounders isn’t cause for celebration in a 12-school conference that used to generate four or five on a regular basis.

In that regard, there’s an unmistakable, concerning trend for the Pac-12 with its money makers.

In both football and men’s basketball, the conference produced an impressive number of first-round draft picks in the middle of the 2010s, only to experience a deterioration in high-end talent in recent years.

That draft night ebb coincides with diminished competitive success on the national stage.

First, the numbers.

Pac-12 first-round selections in football/basketball in the expansion era:

(Note: Listed draft year reflects the football season from the previous fall.)

2012: 4/3
2013: 5/3
2014: 3/6
2015: 9/4
2016: 4/4
2017: 6/6
2018: 4/3
2019: 3/2
2020: 3/6
2021: 3/4
2022: 4/3

So we wonder: What caused the mid-2010s upturn?

In football, the Pac-12 produced two playoff participants (Oregon in 2014 and Washington in 2016) and on three occasions had at least five teams ranked in the final AP poll (2013, 2014 and 2016).

Meanwhile, over a four-year span (2013-16) the conference averaged 5.5 NCAA Tournament bids. Only once in the five seasons since then has it even received five bids.

The obvious explanation is money.

The $3 billion media rights deal with Fox and ESPN that has paralyzed the conference recently — because of its duration (12 years) — was initially the source of immense revenue relative to other conferences. Did that allow football and basketball programs to thrive until other leagues caught up?

Could the Pac-12 Networks, which launched in 2012, have played a role in the success until it became clear there would be no deal with DirecTV and the lack of distribution would choke the major sports?

Was the coaching better during that mid-decade stretch, for no reason other than alignment of fates?

Most likely, a combination of factors accounted for the high-level winning, just as a combination of challenges has fueled the current downturn (money, scheduling, recruiting, coaching, COVID).

Whatever the explanations, the arc is unmistakable:

The Pac-12 experienced a surge in competitive success and talent production in the middle of the 2010s that now feels like it occurred decades ago.

To the winners and losers from the NBA Draft …

Winner: Duke. The last roster of the Mike Krzyzewski era featured five overall picks and four first-rounders, including the No. 1 pick, forward Paolo Banchero (who’s from Seattle, by the way). In the number of total selections, the Blue Devils set an ACC record.

Loser: Big Ten. The conference produced three of the top-10 picks, four first-rounders and nine selections overall — more than any conference. Yet when it mattered most, in March, the league was a major bust.

Winner: Arizona. With Mathurin (No. 6 to Indiana) and Terry (No. 18 to Chicago), the Wildcats produced two first-round picks for the fifth time. Add big man Christian Koloko, the third pick of the second round (by Toronto), and Arizona accounted for three of the top 33 selections.

Loser: Arizona. The team that hammered the Wildcats in the Sweet 16 — Houston — didn’t have a single player selected.

Winner: UCLA. Watson’s selection with the final pick of the first round gave the Bruins their first first-round pick since 2018 (Aaron Holiday).

Loser: UCLA. Maybe Jules Bernard and Johnny Juzang were just tired of school, tired of college life and tired of college basketball. Or maybe they received poor advice. Regardless, neither was drafted.

Winner: Colorado. Walker becomes the fourth CU player selected in the past six years — an impressive mark for a program that rarely signs blue-chip recruits and instead relies on development.

Loser: Oregon. In the past five recruiting cycles, the Ducks have signed six prospects with five-star ratings: Troy Brown, Bol Bol, CJ Walker, Louis King, N’Faly Dante and Nathan Bittle. For various reasons, including injury, only Brown has been a first-round pick to date. Dana Altman seemingly does better with the second-level talents.

… Read full story here …

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Jabari Walker selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the NBA Draft

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado’s Jabari Walker was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft with the 57th overall pick Thursday night.

A native of Inglewood, Calif., Walker was a 2021-22 All-Pac-12 Conference First Team selection averaging 14.6 points and a league-best 9.4 rebounds per game. A 6-foot, 9-inch, 215-pound forward, Walker is Colorado’s fourth NBA Draft pick in the last six years and seventh in the 12-year Tad Boyle era.

“I’m excited for Jabari and his family; a great night and well deserved,” Boyle said. “It’s great to have another guy drafted, especially one who left early and forfeited his collegiate eligibility to get a chance and he’s got that. His hard work has paid off.”

Walker heads to a Portland team that was 27-55 in 2021-22 and 13^th in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers are led by former CU All-American Chauncey Billups, entering his second year as the head coach.

“It’s great that he’ll be coached by a former Buff, but he’s got to earn his roster spot, and (Walker) knows that,” Boyle said. “It’s nice to have that Buff connection but he’s going to have to play his way into the NBA.”

Overall, Walker is Colorado’s 36th NBA Draft pick and the second Buffs pick by Portland. Lee Haven was a ninth round pick by the Trail Blazers in 1974.

In his two seasons at Colorado, Walker averaged 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds, starting in 33 of 59 games. He shot 47.9 percent overall from the field, 78.3 percent from the free throw line, and just a fraction under 40 percent from 3-point range (.399). Walker ranks 14th on Colorado’s all-time list for double-doubles with 19.

As a sophomore, Walker led the Buffaloes in scoring, rebounding, double-doubles (17), field goals made and attempted (160-347), free throws made and attempted (127-162) and was the co-leader in blocked shots (22). He averaged a double-double during the conference season at 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds an outing.

Walker led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th in NCAA Division I with 17 double-doubles, a number ranking eighth on CU’s single-season list and most since Tyler Bey also had 17 in 2018-19. Along with his national double-double ranking he was 14th in defensive rebounds and 26th in overall rebounding. Walker pulled down 310 rebounds, ranking 12th on CU’s single-season list.

Walker earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors in 2020-21 averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the free throw line, managing those numbers while playing only 14.2 minutes per game. Walker Led all Pac-12 freshmen in points (21.5 ppg) and rebounds (12.3 rpg) extended over a 40 minute game.

He had one of the best NCAA Tournament games by a Colorado player in team history with a career-best 24 points in the win over Georgetown. He hit 9 of 10 from the field including a perfect 5 of 5 from 3-point range – both Colorado records for an NCAA Tournament game.

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June 22nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Ceal Barry’s legacy: “(I’m proud of) the fact that we were relevant”

From the Daily Camera … Ceal Barry wears her scars proudly. You don’t shatter that many glass ceilings without a few cuts along the way.

“To be able to stay in one place a long time, you have to navigate a lot of landmines,” the iconic former CU Buffs women’s basketball coach said recently. “And when you’re fighting for equity as I have, you have a few bruises, let me tell you. I have a few scars. It hasn’t always been easy.”

But it’s been fulfilling. Few coaches in Buffs history left a legacy as profound as Barry, who took over the women’s hoops program in 1983 and spent the next 22 years raising the bar.

Barry won a school-record 422 games, four regular-season Big Eight titles and five Big Eight/Big 12 tourney crowns. CU reached the NCAA Tournament 12 times, reaching the Sweet 16 on six occasions and the Elite Eight three times.

“It was trendy, it was popular. People were into the sports because of the product that was on the floor,” said the 67-year-old Barry, who retired in 2020 after more than four decades at CU, the last 15 as an administrator.

“Our kids played hard, they played smart and they were having fun, usually. People wanted to watch us play and then when we got into the momentum of late February, early March, when tournament time came around, they know they played a role.

“I think, for me, (I’m proud of) the fact that we were relevant and we were entertainment — not just for Boulder, but the entire state of Colorado.”

Barry left a mark on other CU sports as well, serving as the senior women’s administrator from spring 2005 until her retirement in July 2020. She served the athletic department in various roles over that span, including a stint as interim athletic director in 2013.

Which is one reason fans in Boulder still reach out to say thanks. Not just for the bruises. For the joy.

… Continue reading story here …

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June 21st 

… CU in the Arena … 

CBS Mock Draft: Jabari Walker becomes a Knick on Thursday

… Highlight video for Jabari Walker compiled by Pac-12.com …

From CBS Sports … We’ve reached the stretch run of the NBA Draft process. The withdrawal deadline is behind us, the lottery and Combine are complete, and pre-draft prep for teams via interviews and workouts are nearly finished. Nearly.

But with just over one week until the draft, there’s still much prognostication to be done. Which means it’s time to fully lean into our mock and project — for the first time all cycle — what we think teams will do now that we have a full picture of the class by taking into account fit, talent, rumored landing spots and more.

This version of our NBA Mock Draft below is our most extensive to date, featuring all 58 picks (that’s right: 58, not 60 due to Miami and Milwaukee forfeiting their second-round picks) for the 2022 NBA Draft. It also accounts primarily for team need, in contrast to our Big Board Top 100 rankings. The mock below is comprised almost exclusively based on what we think teams will do — not what we would do.

You’ll notice below the top of the order has mostly stagnated with Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jaden Ivey — the top four players in the class — falling into order Nos. 1-4. At No. 5 is where the draft gets fun, though, and with the Pistons picking, we’re projecting a new name there. As a result, Shaedon Sharpe, the mystery man who we once projected at No. 5, slips a bit as teams continue to dig into his game after not seeing him in a competitive environment all last season. Sticking with the theme surrounding Sharpe the last few months, he remains one of the draft’s most polarizing talents. Seeing him go top five or falling out of the top 10 both seem reasonable draft night outcomes. We’ve split the difference below.

Round 2 – Pick No. 12 – Pick No. 42 overall … Jabari Walker to the New York Knicks

… Read full story here …

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June 17th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle reflects on “lifetime achievement” week: “It was humbling”

From the Daily Camera … With no indication he will depart his post any time soon, Tad Boyle already has etched a legacy at the University of Colorado that will leave permanent markings in the men’s basketball history book.

Yet it’s fair to say Boyle has never enjoyed a run of honors and accomplishments quite like last week.

In a whirlwind span of four days, Boyle not only led the USA Basketball U18 team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championships in Mexico but he also was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Board of Directors and received a spot in the 2022 induction class for the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame.

In many ways, it was a lifetime of achievement compressed into a few short days.

“It was humbling, and I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to go and be a part of winning a gold medal. It’s very rewarding,” Boyle said. “When you have USA Basketball across your chest, winning is a relief. But I was really out of my comfort zone. Because as a college coach, you’re used to having the summer to establish your program, set a mindset and culture. Then you have the fall to have a preseason and conditioning. That’s what I’m used to.

“With USA Basketball, 27 guys show up to camp. You get it down to 17, then you have three practices and get it down to 12. Then you go play six games in seven days. It’s a totally different mindset.”

… Continue reading story here …

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June 16th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle: “The whole key for the Pac-12 is that we have to perform well in November and December”

From the San Jose Mercury News … In college basketball, the offseason is for NBA Draft decisions, transfer portal moves and non-conference scheduling — three interconnected elements that test the savvy of head coaches and set the stage for the upcoming season.

Poor scheduling decisions in the spring can affect performance in the fall which, in turn, impacts the outlook for Selection Sunday.

The Pac-12 placed just three teams in the 2022 NCAA Tournament — a measly bid total that has become standard fare: The conference sent just three teams to the ’18 and ’19 tournaments, as well.

“I saw a stat regarding the percentage of teams that each Power Five conference advanced to the Sweet 16 relative to the number of berths for each conference,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle told the Hotline.

“It was very positive for the Pac-12. As a conference, we show pretty well. The challenge is how do we consistently get more teams in.”

The tournament selection committee gathers in Indianapolis on the second weekend of March to extend bids and create the 68-team field. Decisions are guided by advanced metrics (for example, the NET rankings) that weigh the results of non-conference games.

Success creates a multiplier effect that elevates middle-tier teams throughout the eat-your-own nature of conference play.

At the same time, early-season failure creates a lasting sinkhole that swallows teams and leaves only the very best in position for NCAA bids.

Want proof?

— Four times in the past 10 years, the Pac-12 won at least 70 percent of its non-conference games; each time, it received four or more NCAA Tournament bids.

— Six times in the past 10 years, the Pac-12 won less than 70 percent of its non-conference games; each time, it received two or three NCAA bids.

“The whole key for the Pac-12 is that we have to perform well in November and December,” Boyle said.

“It’s about being realistic about what your team is going to look like. That has become much more difficult.”

… Continue reading story here …

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June 13th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle’s USA Basketball U18 team rolls to FIBA Americas Championship

From the Daily Camera … Tad Boyle will bring an impressive piece of shiny new hardware back to Boulder.

Tabbed to lead the USA Basketball U18 team at the FIBA Americas Championship, Boyle and the younger generation of basketball stars completed its dominant run through the tournament on Sunday night by routing Brazil 102-60 in the gold medal game in Tijuana, Mexico.

The victory left the Americans with a perfect 6-0 mark in the tournament, as the squad rolled through three pool-play victories before topping Mexico in the quarterfinals and Argentina in the semifinals to set up Sunday’s championship matchup.

The U.S. has won the past six FIBA U18 Americas Championships and 10 of 12 since the event’s inception in 1990. With the 6-0 run over the past week, USA Basketball improved to 65-2 all-time at the U18 Americas Championship.

For Boyle, it was his third medal in international play while representing USA Basketball, though his first gold. CU’s head coach also won a bronze medal as an assistant for the 2015 Pan American Games and collected another bronze as an assistant for the John Calipari-led U.S. team at the U19 World Cup.

The Americans hardly were challenged during the tournament, averaging 105.2 points per game while posting an average margin of victory of 47.2 points. If there was a concerning moment at all for the Americans it was early during Saturday’s 98-60 semifinal win against Argentina, as the US fell behind 12-4 in the opening minutes. However, the US promptly ran away with a 40-4 run, and at halftime of Sunday’s gold medal match, the U.S. led 57-22.

… Continue reading story here …

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June 11th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU 2022-23 non-conference slate set

From the Daily Camera … Fans of the Colorado men’s basketball team can start planning their own game coverage for the first two months of the 2022-23 season.

National college basketball reporter Rocco Miller reported via a Twitter post on Thursday the Buffaloes’ 2022-23 nonconference schedule is complete. BuffZone confirmed with a CU source the reported list of foes is accurate, though a few of the dates published were slightly off the mark.

Much of the early slate already had been confirmed, highlighted by a trip to the Myrtle Beach Invitational on Nov. 17-20 that will include three games against a demanding field featuring Boise State, Texas A&M, Murray State, Loyola Chicago, UMass, Tulsa and Charlotte. Specific matchups will be released at a later date.

The Buffs also are set to resume a long-delayed series against Colorado State on Dec. 8 at home, and also will face Tennessee in Nashville and visit Grambling in the season’s second game on Nov. 10 or 11 in the inaugural year of the Pac-12 Conference’s scheduling agreement with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

CU will open the 2022-23 season at home in the program’s first matchup against UC-Riverside, with the second home game expected to be against North Alabama. The remainder of the Buffs’ home slate will be intriguing. In addition to the CSU date, the Buffs will host Yale, the former team of recent CU newcomer Jalen Gabbidon; Northern Colorado and former Buffs guard Daylen Kountz, who has developed into a prolific scorer in the Big Sky Conference; and Southern Utah, which CU faced just once previously on Jan. 16, 1996.

The early-season ledger also includes the first two standalone matchups on the Pac-12 schedule. CU hosts Arizona State on Dec. 1 and visits Washington on Dec. 4th.

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June 10th

… CU in the Arena … 

**Video interviews with CU transfers Jalen Gabbidon, J’Vonne Hadley and Ethan Wright**

From BuffsTV …

Interview with transfer Jalen Gabbidon … 

Interview with transfer J’Vonne Hadley … 

Interview with Ethan Wright … 

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June 9th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle named to NABC Board of Directors

Press release from CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado coach Tad Boyle, Wheaton (Ill.) coach Mike Schauer and Benedictine (Kan.) coach Ryan Moody have been added as members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Board of Directors, it was announced on Thursday. The coaches’ appointments begin immediately after being formally approved on Tuesday during the Board’s monthly meeting.

The NABC Board of Directors provides strategic oversight of the NABC and advocates on behalf of coaches on national legislative and policy issues. The Board includes representation from all three NCAA divisions, the NAIA, two-year colleges and high schools.

“The game of basketball and the coaching profession are at a critical moment in history, with numerous challenges and opportunities impacting every level of the sport,” said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. “Tad, Mike and Ryan are well-respected leaders whose experience and unique perspectives will serve the NABC Board of Directors and their fellow coaches well.”

All three coaches have achieved on-court success while also holding prominent roles on various national committees.

Boyle, who recently completed a term as chair of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, will enter his 13th year as CU’s head coach in 2022-23, ranking second in both wins (254) and winning percentage (.621) in school history. He owns nine of Colorado’s 13 all-time seasons of 20-plus wins and has led the Buffaloes to five NCAA Tournaments during that span.

Boyle is currently serving as the head coach of the USA Basketball U18 Men’s Team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Tijuana, Mexico.

The new Board additions follow the completion of terms for Northeastern coach Bill Coen, former Trinity (Texas) coach Pat Cunningham and former Westmont (Calif.) coach John Moore.

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June 6th

… CU in the Arena …. 

Derrick White’s journey: From Division II walk-on to CU Buff to NBA Finals star

From andscape.com … Ten years ago, Derrick White’s lone college basketball offer was a preferred walk-on, partial scholarship to a rebuilding Division II program. The only other option was a junior college in Wyoming. There was no star ranking next to his name as an ignored high school recruit in Colorado.

But Thursday night, the Boston Celtics guard continued to write his motivational story by scoring 21 points off the bench during a stunning 120-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“Just don’t give up. Keep going. Keep working,” White said. “Enjoy what you do. I love basketball. So, I kept doing it. Good things started happening for me. So, do what you do.”

White was a 6-foot, 155-pound guard who averaged about 20 points during the 2011-12 season as a senior at Legend High School in a Denver suburb. Longtime trainer and mentor Marcus Mason said that he and White’s parents sent about 50 highlight DVDs of White’s senior season in high school to college basketball programs on all levels. The common denominator from those that did respond was that he was too small.

Mason was stunned that college coaches were missing White’s potential.

Initially, the only four-year offer was a non-scholarship one from then-coach Jeff Culver at NAIA school Johnson & Wales, best known for its renowned culinary arts program. Culver kept in mind that White was only 17 years old when he graduated, and his father was tall, so there was potential for a major growth spurt.

“You could tell he was getting used to the body growing. But he was out there making winning plays. And his basketball IQ stood out, decent enough handles, decent enough shot, was competing out there. And just a guard that looked like he could maybe play a couple different positions,” Culver said. “It piqued our interest. And we’re typically looking at under-the-radar kids as much as we can, and in Colorado, a state that the basketball level isn’t that high, kids will often get overlooked when you do get some decent players coming through.”

But after Culver left Johnson & Wales to take the head-coaching job at Division II University of Colorado Colorado Springs, he offered White a $3,000 scholarship as a preferred walk-on with an opportunity to earn a full scholarship as a sophomore. Although tuition was about $20,000, White bet on himself, got a student loan and took the best opportunity he had.

…

The humble and mild-mannered White avoided discussing the elephant in the room until he surprised Culver and Welsh with some big news one day. White told them he had decided to transfer to the University of Colorado in 2015.

“I felt bad for him because he was really nervous to have that conversation with me,” Culver said. “And it was tough for him, but told me he was looking at transferring and going to CU. So, it was a little bit of a shock at first. And then I’m just thankful it worked out.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 24th

… CU in the Arena … 

… Does this officially bring to an end the Jabari Walker era at CU? Perhaps, as Gabbidon would take up the last remaining scholarship for 2023 … 

Report: Senior 6’5″ wing Jalen Gabbidon (from Yale) will transfer to CU (one year of eligibility remaining)

Tweet from Transfer Portal Updates … Yale transfer Jalen Gabbidon has committed to Colorado. The 6’5” senior averaged 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 48% from the field.

Jalen Gabbidon graduated from Yale on Monday, and will have one season of eligibility remaining to compete with the Buffaloes.

… Related … “Harrisburg native Jalen Gabbidon ready to lead Yale against Purdue in NCAA tourney” … from pennlive.com (March 16th) …

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Connections to Denver Tech Center may have helped recruit Gabbidon to Colorado 

From Yale Daily News (Feb. 25th) … On top of basketball season and his four credits each semester, the computer science major is the chief technology officer and co-founder of Launchpad, a startup developing a training app to help athletes build fast-twitch muscle.

“I did joke with him that if his grades are too good, we’re gonna have to have a talk because priorities,” Jason Abromaitis ’07 said. Abromaitis is a men’s basketball alumnus and Launchpad co-founder whom Gabbidon met through head coach James Jones.

Taking a yearlong leave of absence, Gabbidon lived in Abromaitis’s Denver basement last year to begin work on the company. With the CTO back in New Haven, they coordinate on Slack now. “He’s been able to juggle it well,” Abromaitis added.

Gabbidon was preparing for the release of an updated Launchpad website the day of his interview with the News. A trip to Alabama — for Yale’s game at then-No. 21 Auburn — awaited the next day.

The defensive glue and second leading scorer for first-place Yale (16–10, 10–2 Ivy), Gabbidon has been balancing that sort of schedule all season long. He is managing four software developers off the court — three based in Ukraine, one in California — while corralling the Bulldogs towards what they hope will be a third-straight Ivy League championship when he shifts back to basketball mode.

“Whatever fire’s going up, I’m dealing with all that,” Gabbidon said, referencing Launchpad sprints and work off the court. “How do I still bring my best self in spite all that? I think that’s the burden of expectation from my upperclassmen peers and the coaches specifically. It’s like, ‘We get that that’s happening, but we need you to bring you regardless.’ And that’s been hard. But I’m getting there.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 21st 

… CU in the Arena … 

J’Vonne Hadley on becoming a Buff: “I trust coach Boyle. I trust what he’s doing there as a program”

From the Daily Camera … J’Vonne Hadley’s distinctive basketball journey gave him a couple of knowledgeable references to call upon while mulling an offer from the University of Colorado.

As a native of St. Paul, Minn., Hadley reached out to another Twin Cities native in three-time first team All-Pac-12 point guard McKinley Wright IV, CU’s all-time leader in assists. Hadley also bent the ear of Wright’s one-time backcourt mate Shane Gatling, who, like Hadley, played one season of Division I basketball in the northeast before landing at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.

If there are cracks beneath the façades of seemingly successful programs, they don’t tend to escape scrutiny in those types of conversations. Whatever slight skepticism Hadley still may have harbored toward joining the Buffs ended after chatting with Wright and Gatling.

This week, the 6-foot-6 Hadley became the newest piece of coach Tad Boyle’s roster, adding front court depth and some rebounding prowess to a team still awaiting the final pro decision of forward Jabari Walker.

“They both said the same thing that it’s a cool place to be, a cool place to play, and the coaching staff is great,” Hadley said. “They said they do everything that can benefit you, as well as the team. I’m super big on that on bettering myself overall, getting in the gym and working on my agility and lateral quickness and stuff like that. They said it’s a cool place to be, a cool college town. They didn’t really have many negatives, honestly. It really made the choice easy.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 17th

… CU in the Arena … 

One mock draft has Jabari Walker going in the second round of the NBA Draft

From BleacherReport.com … There will be plenty of prospects for NBA teams to scout at the Final Four.

Executives’ eyes will be on Duke and Kansas, who have a combined six players in our first-round projections.

This mock draft order was based on the standings heading into Monday, and players with write-ups deserved mentions for their recent play or haven’t been talked about enough lately in the draft discussion.

1. Orlando Magic: Jabari Smith (Auburn, PF, Freshman)

2. Detroit Pistons: Paolo Banchero (Duke, PF, Freshman)

3. Houston Rockets: Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga, PF/C, Freshman)

4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaden Ivey (Purdue, PG/SG, Sophomore)

5. Indiana Pacers: Keegan Murray (Iowa, PF, Sophomore)

… From the Pac-12 … 

8. San Antonio Spurs: Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona, SG/SF, Sophomore)

31. Orlando Magic: Christian Koloko (Arizona, C, Junior)

48. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jabari Walker (Colorado, PF, Sophomore)

Walker shot 47.6 percent from three over Colorado’s final 11 games after a promising freshman year and rough start to 2021-22. His perimeter-skill translatability is key to his NBA chances, but for a power forward, he has had some eye-opening flashes of open-floor handles, pull-ups and drives.

53. Washington Wizards (via Mavericks): Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA, SF, Junior)

58. Golden State Warriors: Johnny Juzang (UCLA, SF, Junior)

… Read full story here …

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Buffs add junior college transfer J’Vonne Hadley: “He fit exactly what we need”

From the Daily Camera … It doesn’t happen often. Yet Tad Boyle has turned to the junior college ranks to drum up reinforcements for the Colorado men’s basketball team.

On Monday, 6-foot-6 forward J’Vonne Hadley announced his commitment to the Buffaloes. Hadley played this past season at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa and also appeared in 13 games at Northeastern as a freshman in the 2020-21 season.

Hadley is listed as a guard on the Indian Hills roster but he filled more of a frontcourt role this past season, and will look to do the same with the Buffaloes. Indian Hills is the same junior college that produced former Buffs players Shane Gatling and Marcus Relphorde.

Given the extra season of eligibility provided by the NCAA for the pandemic season of 2020-21, Hadley still has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

“We don’t make a habit of recruiting junior college players,” Boyle said. “But the four (year school)-two-four kids, which is what J’Vonne is, he was a qualifier out of high school. He’s not your typical junior college player, or junior college student. It just felt like he fit exactly what we need.”

A native of St. Paul, Minn., Hadley appeared in 33 games (27 starts) at Indian Hills this past season, averaging 10.9 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds per game. Hadley shot .548 from the floor with a .354 mark on 3-pointers (23-for-65). Hadley also shot .718 at the free throw line (74-for-103).

… Continue reading story here …

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May 12th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle: Jabari Walker hasn’t hired an agent: “He’s keeping all of his options open”

From the Daily Camera … To paraphrase a criminally overused movie phrase, Tad Boyle believes there’s still a chance.

In this case, the chance he refers to is Jabari Walker’s possible return to Boulder.

Despite the statements made last week to ESPN by Walker’s father, former NBA veteran Samaki Walker, saying CU’s sophomore first team All-Pac-12 Conference selection essentially was done with college basketball and was ready to embrace whatever comes next professionally in his basketball career.

It might be overstating the situation to say “not so fast,” but Boyle believes the door isn’t quite shut on a return to Boulder for Walker.

Walker, the Buffs’ leading scorer and the Pac-12’s leading rebounder last season, has until June 1 to withdraw from the draft pool and retain his eligibility next season at CU.

“Jabari and I touched base, and I think he and I are on the same page in terms of where he is,” Boyle said. “He’s going to go to the NBA combine and then he’ll come back and have feedback, and he’ll have a decision to make by June first. He’s not signed with agent. He’s keeping all his options open.

“Certainly he wants to go there and play well and show out. And I think if he does that, he’ll have opportunities. But the bottom line is he isn’t going to know what his draft stock is until draft night.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 6th

… CU in the Arena … 

Tad Boyle named head coach of the 2022 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team 

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado’s Tad Boyle will serve as head coach of the 2022 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team this summer at the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Men’s Championship, USA Basketball announced on Friday.

Boyle will be assisted by Mike Boynton Jr. (Oklahoma State) and Leon Rice (Boise State).

Assisting as court coaches during training camp, aiding in on-court skills and drills, are NCAA head coaches Matt Langel (Colgate), Rob Lanier (SMU) and Tommy Lloyd (Arizona). All coaching selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee.

Both Boyle and Boynton have previous experience with USA Basketball, while Rice, Langel, Lanier and Lloyd will make their USA Basketball debuts this summer.

Boyle’s time with USA Basketball dates to the 2013 USA Men’s World University Games Team training camp, where he served as a court coach. He was also a member of the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where the U.S. took home a bronze medal. Additionally, Boyle was an assistant coach for the 2017 Men’s U19 National Team that won bronze in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Egypt.

“I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to coach the 18-and-under national team,” Boyle said. “Anytime you have the opportunity to represent your country, it’s a responsibility that needs to be taken very seriously, and I’m looking forward to doing that and working with a bunch of great young men and being back with USA Basketball.”

Boyle has 16 years of coaching experience, the last 12 at Colorado. He has led the Buffaloes to five NCAA Tournaments and four National Invitation Tournament appearances over his 12 years in Boulder. Boyle is second in all-time men’s basketball wins at Colorado with 254, owns the program’s five top single-season win totals and has nine of the program’s 13 20-win seasons.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 3rd

… CU in the Arena … 

Klintman tweet adds intrigue to de-commitment (with Tad Boyle’s statement)

… Perhaps the story will come out soon as to what actually happened here … 

Tweet from former CU commit Bobi Klintman … Unfortunately the opportunity to attend Colorado University no longer presented itself so I am re opening my commitment. My plan all along was to attend Colorado but unfortunately that is no longer an option. I look forward to finding a new place to call home!

… and here is Tad Boyle’s statement on the issue, from the Daily Camera …

While Boyle declined to comment on the situation, he did release this statement to BuffZone on Tuesday afternoon:

“Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are mutually parting ways with Bobi Klintman and we will grant him a full release. Bobi is a terrific young man and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”

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May 2nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Less than three weeks after committing, Bobi Klintman de-commits

From On3.com … Less than three weeks after committing to Colorado, Sunrise Christian (Kan.) Academy small forward Bobi Klintman has decommitted from the Buffaloes, he told On3’s Joe Tipton.

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From April 14th … 

Buffs pick up a commitment from three-star forward Bobi Klintman

Bobi Klintman – SF

Just the facts … Klintman is a 6’9″, 200-pound forward from Sweden, but is currently playing for Bel Air (Kansas) Sunrise Christian … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio

How others rate Klintman … Klintman is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Klintman is listed as the No. 35 small forward in the nation, and the No. 143 player overall.

Klintman had other offers from … an impressive array of schools. Klintman was formerly committed to Maryland but he reopened his recruitment after head coach Mark Turgeon stepped down. Other offers came from schools like Kansas, Virginia, Utah, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Wyoming.

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Jabari Walker’s father: Jabari “all in” on declaring for NBA Draft

From the Daily Camera … The intriguing mix of young talent on the Colorado men’s basketball roster will not be buoyed by the dynamic skills of Jabari Walker.

On Monday morning, ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony released a tweet indicating Walker’s father, former NBA veteran Samaki Walker, said the Colorado sophomore is going “all in” for the NBA draft and “has no intentions on returning to school.”

While Walker’s loss is not a complete surprise — he declared his intentions to test his NBA draft prospects immediately after the season — it nonetheless makes official the departure of the Buffaloes’ leading scorer and rebounder.

A first team All-Pac-12 selection this past season, Walker averaged 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in 59 games during his two-season career at CU. Walker, though, filled vastly different roles during those two seasons.

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April 28th

… CU in the Arena … 

Jabari Walker enrolls for fall classes: “Jabari is truly I think 50-50”

From the Daily Camera … Jabari Walker is enrolled for fall semester classes at the University of Colorado.

Don’t start popping champagne bottles just yet, Buffaloes fans. While CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle did indeed say Walker is making the proper preparations for the possible next step of his academic career, that step also remains merely part of the process Walker is sorting through as he explores his NBA draft stock while retaining his NCAA eligibility.

With the start of the NBA Draft combine in Chicago less than three weeks away, Walker’s NBA prospects remain cloudy, as he still is not a unanimous second-round selection in mock drafts. Obviously a 6-foot-8 athlete with a solid outside shooting touch, and who led the Pac-12 Conference in rebounding, would be intriguing to most NBA front office personnel. Yet Boyle noted Walker’s decision might be less about getting drafted than making a connection with a management team willing to give him a chance even as a free agent, similar to how former CU guard McKinley Wright IV landed with the Minnesota Timberwolves last summer.

“Jabari is truly I think 50-50,” Boyle said.  “I think if he has an opportunity to leave for a situation he thinks is good for him, he will. But he’s coming to school, he’s enrolled for classes next fall. So he’s doing everything right in terms of keeping his options open. But I don’t think we’re going to know anything on him until the middle part or late part of May, if not June first. There’s a lot of moving parts.”

… Continue reading story here …

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April 26th

… CU in the Arena … 

Evan Battey receives Male Career Athletic Achievement Award at CUSPY’s

From CUBuffs.com … Several major awards were presented Monday night as the University of Colorado honored its best in athletics at the 22nd annual CU Sports Performers of the Year (CUSPY) Awards.

Over 300 student-athletes, coaches, staff and C-Club board members attended the annual year-end banquet for the first time in three years, as the last two events were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The celebration, as always, was organized by CU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2021-22 athletic year.

The Female Athlete of the Year was shared by two NCAA individual champions, Micaela DeGenero (indoor track) and Magdalena Luczak (alpine skiing).

… Evan Battey was the unanimous choice for Male Career Athletic Achievement Awards.  One of the most popular student-athletes in school history – not only by the fans but his peers – he overcame a stroke suffered in his freshman year to rebound and play in a school records 88 wins.  He became the 12th Buffalo to score at least 1,300 points with 600 rebounds in a career (1,307 and 667, respectively), and finished in the school’s top 20 in games played and starter, minutes, points and rebounds.  He finished his career shooting 50.2 percent from the field (465-927) and 74.8 percent from the line (324-933). He was a 2021-22 Senior CLASS All-American and a second-team All-Pac-12 performer.

The other finalists included Eduardo Herrera (cross country and track), Nate Landman (football) and Joey Young (skiing).

Hollingshed and Sadie Grozier (lacrosse) were co-recipients of the Female Career Athletic Achievement Award.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 19th

… CU in the Arena … 

First Joe Lunardi 2023 Bracketology: CU a No. 11 seed

From Joe Lunardi at ESPN … Will the Kansas Jayhawks become the first repeat champion in men’s college basketball since Florida in 2006-07? That’s among the questions to consider in the offseason prelude to the 2022-23 season, a period that will include a frenzy of transfer movement and the usual spate of NBA draft decisions. When the dust settles, Division I’s 350+ teams will begin considering the march to the 2023 NCAA tournament, a journey that will end at Houston’s NRG Stadium for the Final Four on April 1 and 3. ESPN will be there every step of the way with its 2023 bracket projections, evaluating the current state of the bubble and identifying the top seeds for the game’s showcase event.

It is, of course, a fool’s errand to compile any kind of “next year” bracket in college basketball. It takes an even bigger fool to attempt one with over 1,000 Division I players in the transfer portal. All of which suggests I am perfect for the job, as making an annual April fool of myself has become a true occupational hazard. That said, since doing the first “next year” bracket way back in 2005, we average right around two No. 1 seeds per year landing in the same spot on Selection Sunday (and about 20 at-large teams overall). Think of this merely as a starting point for the long wait until November, when the real fun begins again.

From the Pac-12 …

• No. 1 seed – UCLA
• No. 3 seed – Arizona
• No. 7 seed – USC
• No. 9 seed – Oregon
• No. 11 seed – Colorado (play-in game v. St. Mary’s – CU one of the “Last Four In”)

… Read full story here …

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Keeshawn Barthelemy becomes a rival, commits to Oregon

… Related … Former Buff Eli Parquet will play his senior season at UNLV … 

From the Daily Camera … Keeshawn Barthelemy’s time with the Colorado men’s basketball team is over.

But it seems the Buffaloes haven’t seen the last of Barthelemy.

On Monday evening, Barthelemy revealed through is social media accounts that he has committed to Oregon, one of the Buffs’ Pac-12 Conference rivals.

Barthelemy spent much of the 2021-22 season as the Buffs’ starting point guard, ranking third on the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game. Barthelemy shot .420 overall and .347 on 3-pointers, and he also posted a team-leading free throw percentage of .826 (76-for-92, the second-most attempts on the team behind Jabari Walker’s 162 attempts).

On a team that struggled with turnovers for much of the season, Barthelemy provided a steady hand, committing just 44 turnovers in 33 games and posting an assist-to-turnover rate of 1.77. However, after four years with all-time assists leader McKinley Wright IV running the offense, Barthelemy struggled to make plays for others, averaging just 2.4 assists per game.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 14th

… CU in the Arena … 

Buffs pick up a commitment from three-star forward Bobi Klintman

Bobi Klintman – SF

Just the facts … Klintman is a 6’9″, 200-pound forward from Sweden, but is currently playing for Bel Air (Kansas) Sunrise Christian … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio

How others rate Klintman … Klintman is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Klintman is listed as the No. 35 small forward in the nation, and the No. 143 player overall.

Klintman had other offers from … an impressive array of schools. Klintman was formerly committed to Maryland but he reopened his recruitment after head coach Mark Turgeon stepped down. Other offers came from schools like Kansas, Virginia, Utah, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Wyoming.

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CU also picks up a transfer from Princeton, a 6’4, 190-pound senior guard, Ethan Wright

From CUSportsNation … Ethan Wright is 6-foot-4 shooter who posted a 50% make rate from the floor last year, as well as 39.5% from deep. Led the Tigers in total rebounds as well as RPG (6.9) per game. That last stat is key for me. A guard who lives in the glass to that extent will obviously be welcome under Tad Boyle’s roof.

Princeton to Colorado will certainly be a jump, but on paper, Wright has all the credentials to suggest he’ll provide a viable perimeter presence for CU in his one remaining year of eligibility. Really solid day of recruiting by the MBB team.

From Princeton Athletics … 2021-22:  Finished third in the Ivy League in rebounds (206) and fourth in rebounds per game (6.9) … shot 50.0% from the field, which ranked third in the Ivy League … ranked sixth in the Ivy League in scoring (15.7), three-point percentage (39.5%) and three-point field goals per game (2.3) … Recorded five double-doubles … scored a career-high 29 points on 10-for-17 shooting in the Tigers’ win over FDU on Nov. 28, a game where he also made a career-high six three-pointers … had a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds in the Tigers’ win at Oregon State on Nov. 21 … tied his career-high in made three-pointers with seven, and scored 27 points on Feb. 12 in Princeton’s win at Columbia … scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds on Dec. 13 against UMBC … grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds against Minnesota on Nov. 14 … had six double digit rebounding games … handed out a career-high six assists in Princeton’s win over Bucknell on Dec. 7 … exceeded 20 points on seven occasions and scored in double digits 23 times.

Honors
NABC District 13 Second Team (2022)
Second Team All-Ivy League (2022)
Ivy League Player of the Week (Feb. 6, 2022, Dec. 20, Nov. 22, 2021)

In the Record Book
T-#3, Most Three-Pointers in a Game, 7, (vs. FDU, Nov. 28, 2021, at Columbia, Feb. 5. 2022)
T-#11, Most Three-Point Field Goals Made in a Season, 70 (2021-22)
#18, Career Made Three-Pointers, 199

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April 11th

… CU in the Arena … 

CU’s Mya Hollingshed picked No. 8 overall in WNBA Draft

Press release from CUBuffs.com … A year ago Mya Hollingshed chose to forego the WNBA Draft for a chance at an NCAA Tournament selection. That decision was the start of the buildup to Monday’s entry draft, where Hollingshed was selected as the eighth overall pick in the first round by the Las Vegas Aces.

Hollingshed becomes the first CU women’s basketball player selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft. Isabelle Fijalkowski was selected 2nd overall in the 1997 WNBA Elite Draft, which consisted of players who had competed professionally in other leagues prior to the inaugural WNBA season.

The two-time WBCA honorable mention All-American became the first Buffalo selected in the WNBA Draft since Chucky Jefferey went 24th overall to the Minnesota Lynx in 2013. Hollingshed joins the ranks of Fijalkowski, Raegan Scott, Mandy Nightingale, Brittany Spears and Jeffery as the only Buffs to be selected in the WNBA Draft.

“Mya has worked so hard for this opportunity and I am unbelievably proud of her for making this dream come true,” Colorado head coach JR Payne exclaimed after Hollingshed’s selection. “A huge thank you to the Las Vegas organization for believing in Mya. We are all Aces fans now!”

She started the year on the Preseason Wooden Award Top 50 Watch List and climbed the ranks of the all-time greats to wear the Black and Gold, becoming just the sixth player in CU history to reach 1,600 points and 900 rebounds.

Hollingshed wrapped up her five-year career in Boulder as the program’s sixth all-time leading scorer (1,681 points). She also finished sixth in rebounding (911), sixth in double-doubles (25), ninth in 3-point field goals made (164) and first in games played (141).

The Houston, Texas, native, averaged team-highs of 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the 2021-22 season. She also led the team from behind the arc, shooting 39.6% from 3-point distance. Hollingshed was the only player in the Pac-12 to lead her team in all three categories (min. 1.0 3FGM/G).

Hollingshed averaged 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds over her last two seasons, earning back-to-back All-Pac-12 honors. Her 230 total rebounds in 2021-22 were 33 more than her previous high of 197 in her sophomore season.

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April 5th

… CU in the Arena … 

Way-Too-Early 2022-23 Projections: CU makes the cut

From CollegeHoopsToday.com … It’s never too early to start looking ahead to next season!

Rosters have never been more fluid in college basketball and with that said, these rosters will likely change daily over the next few months.

FYI: No players who are eligible to return to school for an additional year will be listed as returnees until they officially announce the plans to do so. Also, no players who are projected to be drafted later than the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft will be forecasted as departures until they verbalize those plans publicly.

Below please find a breakdown of the Preseason Edition of the ROTHSTEIN 45 for the 22-23 season.

2. UCLA
Projected Starting 5:
G Tyger Campbell
G Johnny Juzang
G Amari Bailey
G Jaime Jaquez
C Adem Bona
Projected Bench: Dylan Andrews, Peyton Watson, Kenneth Nwuba, Mac Etienne, Will McClendon, David Singleton, Jaylen Clark
Key Losses: Cody Riley, Myles Johnson, Jules Bernard, Jake Kyman
Key Newcomers: Amari Bailey, Adem Bona, Dylan Andrews
Seniors Who Could Return: Cody Riley, Myles Johnson, Jules Bernard

15. Arizona
Projected Starting 5:
G Kerr Kriisa
G Pelle Larsson
G Dalen Terry
F Azuolas Tubelis
C Oumar Ballo
Projected Bench: Adama Bal, Shane Nowell, Tautvilas Tubelis, Kim Aiken, Dylan Anderson
Key Losses: Bennedict Mathurin, Justin Kier, Christian Koloko
Key Newcomers: Dylan Anderson

23. USC
Projected Starting 5:
G Boogie Ellis
G Drew Peterson
G Reese Dixon-Waters
F Isaiah Mobley
C Vince Iwuchukwu
Projected Bench: Kijani Wright, Joshua Morgan, Harrison Hornery, Kobe Johnson, Malik Thomas, Trey White, Oziyah Sellers
Key Losses: Chevez Goodwin, Isaiah White, Ethan Anderson, Max Agbokopolo
Key Newcomers: Vince Iwuchukwu, Kijani Wright, Tre White, Oziyah Sellers
Seniors Who Could Return: Drew Peterson (grad year)

30. Oregon
Projected Starting 5:
G Dior Johnson
G De’Vion Harmon
G Tyrone Williams
F Quincy Guerrier
C N’Faly Dante
Projected Bench: Nate Bittle, Kel’el Ware, Rivaldo Soares, Isaac Johnson, Lok Wur
Key Losses: Will Richardson, Eric Williams, Jacob Young, Franck Kepnang
Key Newcomers: Tyrone Williams (JUCO), Kel’el Ware, Dior Johnson
Seniors Who Could Return: Will Richardson

41. Colorado
G KJ Simpson
G Nique Clifford
F Tristan da Silva
F Jabari Walker
C Lawson Lovering
Projected Bench: Javon Ruffin, Julian Hammond, Luke O’Brien, Joe Hurlburt, RJ Smith
Key Losses: Evan Battey, Eli Parquet, Keeshawn Barthelemy
Key Newcomers: Joe Hurlburt, RJ Smith

43. Washington State
Projected Starting 5:
G Tyrell Roberts
G T.J. Bamba
G Noah Williams
F Mohamed Gueye
C Efe Abogidi
Projected Bench: D.J. Rodman, Andrej Jakimovski, Ryan Rapp, Dishon Jackson, Jefferson Koulibaly, Solomon Ominu
Key Losses: Michael Flowers
Key Newcomers: Solomon Ominu

… Read full story here …

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April 1st

… CU in the Arena … 

Mya Hollingshed picks up her second consecutive honorable mention All-American honors

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado standout Mya Hollingshed picked up her second consecutive Women’s Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention All-America honor as part of the weekend’s Final Four festivities.

Hollingshed was one of 42 student-athletes to receive honorable mention honors. She’s the first Buffaloes player to earn back-to-back honors from the WBCA and the first to be named consecutive honorable mention All-America since Jackie McFarland picked up back-to-back honors from the Associated Press in 2007 and 2008.

“What an honor for Mya to achieve All-America status for the second year in a row,” head coach JR Payne exclaimed. “I am so proud of all the hard work and effort that Mya poured into her time at Colorado. To leave CU as a college graduate and two-time All-American is very special.”

Hollingshed, already WBCA Regional Finalist and Pac-12 All-Conference selection this season, wrapped up her Colorado career by leading the Buffs in points (14.1), field goals made (5.2), 3-point field goals made (1.7), rebounding (7.4) and blocks (1.0) in 2021-22. She was the only player in the Pac-12 to lead her team in points, rebounds and 3 points field goals this season.

The Houston, Texas, native, helped the Buffs to their first NCAA Tournament since the 2012-13 season. She also led Colorado to its first 20-win season in nine seasons. Hollingshed recorded nine double-doubles this season, finishing with 25 in her five seasons at CU. She had five 20-point games this season, with a season-high of 28 coming against Utah on Jan. 30. Hollingshed led the Buffs in scoring on 13 occasions in 2021-22 and 42 times in her career.

She averaged a double-double across CU’s three games at the Pac-12 Tournament, helping the Buffs advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas. Hollingshed started the tournament with a 15-point, 12 rebound performance and finished with 11.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. She was also 6-for-12 from 3-point range and shot 40.0% (12-30) from the floor.

Hollingshed moved up the Buffs’ career charts this season, finishing sixth in career points (1,681) and rebounds (911). She became the first CU player to play in more than 140 career games (141) and moved into a tie for ninth with 110 career starts. She finishes her career in Boulder ranking in the top-10 in 15 different individual categories.

Next up for Hollingshed is the WNBA Draft on April 11. She looks to be the first CU player selected since Chucky Jeffery was picked in the second round (24th overall) by the Minnesota Lynx in 2013.

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Evan Battey’s first 3-on-3 showcase game Friday (5:20 p.m., MT)

From the Daily Camera … Earlier this week, Evan Battey wasn’t certain who exactly his teammates were going to be at a national 3-on-3 showcase during Final Four weekend in New Orleans.

It didn’t really matter. One could almost picture the smile and sense the shrugging of thick shoulders as Battey pondered the question during a recent phone call.

“I have no idea,” Battey said. “I don’t really care. It’s just like, ‘Eh, let’s go.’”

Where Battey is going is the 2022 Dos Equis 3x3U National Championship, which will feature 64 new college basketball alums competing for a $150,000 purse at The Sugar Mill in New Orleans.

… “I have an opportunity to play basketball, especially at the Final Four, it’s an opportunity to compete and do what I love to do. So it wasn’t really a long decision at all,” Battey said. “It’s an opportunity to play in front of NBA scouts and my former coaches, too. I’m ready to have fun and enjoy my post-college experience. I’ve been looking forward to this for a pretty decent amount of time.”

The four-player teams are constructed via conference affiliation, with Battey the lone Pac-12 player on a Pac-12/West Coast Conference squad also scheduled to include Brigham Young guard Alex Barcello, as well as the Santa Clara duo of guard PJ Pipes and forward Josip Vrankic.

The competition is comprised of four, four-team pools, with play beginning on Friday. Battey’s first game will be at 5:20 p.m. MT on Friday in a game that will stream live on Twitter (@3x3UHoops). Battey will face a familiar foe in his opening game against now-former Tennessee forward John Fulkerson, who squared off against Battey and the Buffs each of the past two seasons.

… Continue reading story here …

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Jabari Walker declares for the NBA Draft, but doesn’t hire an agent 

… By not hiring an agent, the door remains open for Walker to return to CU for his junior season … 

From USA Today … As soon as the final buzzer sounded on the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2021-22 season, fans began anticipating Jabari Walker’s decision to either return to Boulder for his junior season or declare for the 2022 NBA Draft. Fifteen days later, Walker announced via Instagram on Wednesday that he will be entering his name into this year’s draft while maintaining his college eligibility.

Despite this meaning the possible end of Walker’s two-year career at Colorado, there is a chance he could return if he’s unable to get drafted and turn pro. In his statement, Walker emphasized his appreciation for CU, saying that “choosing to play for coach Boyle and the University of Colorado has been one of the best decisions of my life.”

Walker was by far Colorado’s most productive player last season, averaging 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, as well as a Pac-12 leading 17 double-doubles. He was also given First-Team All-Pac-12 honors.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 29th 

… CU in the Arena … 

Keeshawn Bartelemy joins Eli Parquet in the Transfer Portal: “Everybody else has both feet in”

From the Daily Camera … By the new standards of the transfer portal era, the sudden gap on the Colorado men’s basketball roster is relatively small.

Yet it’s nonetheless a significant loss of production the Buffaloes will be tasked with replacing.

On Tuesday, head coach Tad Boyle confirmed third-year sophomore guard Keeshawn Barthelemy has entered the transfer portal with the expectation of continuing his college career elsewhere. Graduating senior Elijah Parquet also made official a decision first reported by BuffZone in February by entering the transfer portal to spend his extra COVID season elsewhere.

Yet beyond Jabari Walker exploring his pro options while maintaining his eligibility, Boyle said he expects the remaining cast of underclassmen — KJ Simpson, Julian Hammond III, Tristan da Silva, Nique Clifford and Luke O’Brien, plus injured rookies Lawson Lovering, Quincy Allen and Javon Ruffin — to return

“I met with Keeshawn both before spring break (last week) and then after spring break,” Boyle said. “We’ve got one guy to replace. But everybody else has both feet in and we’re moving forward with the offseason programs.”

… Continue reading story here …

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March 26th

… CU in the Arena … 

Evan Battey to participate in three-on-three tournament in April

From the Daily Camera … Colorado’s Evan Battey isn’t done playing basketball this season and representing the Buffaloes.

The senior forward has been selected to participate in the 2022 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship, scheduled for April 1-3 at The Sugar Mill in New Orleans.

Sixty-four players, representing all 32 NCAA Division I conferences, will compete for a share of $150,000 — one of the largest prize purses at any FIBA 3×3 sanctioned event. Each conference will be paired with another, forming 16 four-man rosters, separated into four pools. Battey is one of four players that will be part of the Pac-12 Conference/West Coast Conference team.

An All-Pac-12 Second Team selection in 2021-22, Battey averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior, helping the Buffaloes to a 21-12 record and a berth in the NIT.

Teams will play each squad in their respective pool on April 1 and 2 before all 16 will head to the knockout stage on April 3, with the top two teams from each pool receiving byes to the quarterfinals. The winning team from each pool play game will win $1,000, victories in the first two knockout rounds will net another $1,000, a quarterfinal win is worth $5,000, a semifinal triumph is another $10,000, while the team that takes home the tournament title will add $50,000 to their winnings.

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March 22nd

… CU in the Arena … 

Pac-12 and Big Ten have two teams in Sweet Sixteen (Big Ten had nine bids): “Big Ten did a nice job of lobbying”

Related … Tweet from Neill Woelk … Obviously I am biased. But maybe NCAA Selection committee should consider recent history as a data point: Last 2 years NCAA Tournament, major conferences total bids and Sweet 16 teams: Pac-12 — 8, 6 ACC — 12, 5 Big 12 — 13, 4 Big East — 10, 4 Big 10 — 18, 3 SEC — 12, 3

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From John Canzano … The Pac-12 Conference has to feel a little better about itself today. The conference put two teams — Arizona and UCLA — in the men’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. I’m celebrating this today because the conference only had three total teams in the entire bracket.

That’s a 67 percent bracket survival rate, folks.

I checked in with Pac-12 deputy commissioner Jamie Zaninovich this morning to see how he was feeling about things. He’s the supervisor in charge of basketball for the conference.

Zaninovich said, “Our universities continue to invest in basketball and it is great to see that paying off in annual national competitiveness in March Madness.”

A lot was made of the Big Ten landing nine teams in the men’s tournament field. It was the second straight year the selection committee over-bought the Big Ten. Last year only one of the Big Ten’s nine teams reached the Sweet 16. This year only two of the nine (Michigan and Purdue) survived the opening weekend — a 22 percent survival rate.

Here’s the Sweet 16 by conference:

• ACC: 3
• Big 12: 3
• Pac-12: 2
• Big Ten: 2
• Big East: 2
• The SEC, WCC, American Athletic Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference each have one team left.

SELECTIVE JUDGMENT: I talked with two members who served on the men’s NCAA Tournament Selection Committee in the last week. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told me it was a time-consuming endeavor.

Said Jarmond: “It’s not something that starts with six days in Indianapolis. You’re watching games all year. Each committee person has conferences that they monitor and you do weekly calls with the conference to learn more about the teams. You’re not just watching games, you’re getting feedback from the conferences about the teams in the conference.

“It’s intense.”

That little line about “feedback” is ringing in my ears today. Because right now it really looks like someone from the Big Ten did an especially nice job lobbying the selection committee and selling the strength of the conference.

… Continue reading story here …

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Tags: Ceal Barry, Courtney Anderson, Ethan Wright, J'Vonne Hadley, Jabari Walker, Jalen Gabbidon, Mya Hollingshed, Tad Boyle
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