Colorado (14-21, 3-17 Big 12)
Tad Boyle, the all-time winningest coach in program history, and the Buffaloes try to rebound after turning in their first losing season since 2014-15. They have a solid but youthful nucleus led by big man Bangot Dak, who was seventh in the Big 12 in blocked shots last season. He also averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Colorado brought in junior transfer Barrington Hargress to add more scoring punch. Hargress was an All-Big West Conference player for UC Riverside last season after averaging with 20.2 points per game. He broke the school’s single-season scoring mark with 686 points.
As a team, the Buffaloes averaged 69.7 points per game.
“I like this team. I like the talent level we have. We’ve have great length and great explosiveness,” Boyle said. “We can shoot the ball. I think we can be a good defensive team. We’re certainly not there yet, but a lot of different weapons. I like the depth. It’s going to be a work in progress, though.”
Players to watch
Forward Sebastian Rancik earned the team’s most improved award as a freshman. He picked up steam in the second half of the season when he was moved into the starting lineup. He scored a career-best 19 points at Kansas in February. Elijah Malone also returns as he enters his sixth college year and second graduate season at Colorado. He was fourth on the team in scoring (7.9) and fifth in rebounding (3.2).
Departures and arrivals
The Buffaloes will have a lot to replace after losing Julian Hammond III, who led the team in scoring, assists and steals. He also led the league in free throw percentage.
They added height by bringing in a pair of 7-footers. Fawaz Ifaola, who arrived in the U.S. from Lagos, Nigeria, in ninth grade, was a McDonald’s All-American nominee for the state of Arizona. There’s also Leonardo Van Elswyk, the 7-1, 245-pound center from Milan, Italy. He averaged 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in the Lega Basket Serie A NextGen Cup last winter.
Top games
Colorado opens the season on Nov. 3 by hosting Montana State. A big rivalry game awaits on Dec. 6 when the Buffaloes travel to Colorado State. The Buffaloes play in the Acrisure Holiday Classic in Palm Desert, California, on Nov. 27 (San Francisco) Nov. 28 (either Washington or Nevada) and against Stanford in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame series in Phoenix on Dec. 20.
Facts and figures
Boyle has 10 of Colorado's 14 seasons of 20 or more wins. He's led the Buffaloes to the NCAA Tournament six times. ... Ifaola and fellow freshman Jalin Holland both went to Dream City Christian in Arizona. Holland scored more than 2,000 points in three seasons at Los Lunas High School in New Mexico before joining Dream City for his final year.
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