Even after a roster shakeup, last season’s dark clouds still hang over Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball.
On Thursday, the Big 12 preseason poll deemed Colorado No. 15 of the conference’s 16 teams, predicted to place second-to-last. This grim outlook comes after a last-place finish last season.
The Buffs’ lowly standing is also identical to last year’s. For two straight seasons, veteran coach Tad Boyle‘s Colorado has been prognosticated to finish 15th.
Feb 18, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle watches his team play the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
In last year’s regular season, coach Boyle’s group opened Big 12 play with a 13-game losing streak and won just three conference games. All victories came at home, to the UCF Knights (No. 14 in preseason poll), Baylor Bears (No. 7) and TCU Horned Frogs (No. 11).
However, Colorado made an upstart run to the quarterfinal round of Kansas City’s Big 12 Championship. The Buffaloes beat TCU once more and the West Virginia Mountaineers (No. 11) before falling to this year’s near-unanimous preseason No. 1of the conference, the Houston Cougars.
Houston received 14 of 16 first-place votes and is ranked No. 2 nationally in the preseason Associated Press poll. The Cougs came up two points shy of a national title last season and host Colorado on Feb. 28.
The BYU Cougars (No. 2) and Arizona Wildcats (No. 4) also tallied first-place votes, while the Texas Tech Raiders rounded out the top three. The only team predicted lower than Boyle’s Buffs is the Arizona State Sun Devils, against whom Colorado opens conference play on Jan. 3.
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Mar 8, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward Micah Robinson (5) defends on Colorado Buffaloes forward Bangot Dak (8) in the second half at the CU Events Center. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
With rock-bottom expectations once more, the Buffaloes must hang their hat on several key returners. Forwards Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik, along with center Elijah Malone, will be vital to proving doubters wrong.
Dak played in 35 games and started 20 last season, averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. His higlight-reel dunks and blocks warranted high expectations, but all things considered, he did not meet them.
Now a junior, Dak looks for improvement on and off the court. He’s the last remaining member of Colorado’s run to the Round of 32 in 2023’s NCAA Tournament, a team for which he appeared in 23 games.
Meanwhile, Rancik seeks to make due on promises flashed during his freshman year. A native of Bratislava, Slovakia, he put sharp two-way skills on display as a 6-11 wing who can handle the ball.
Malone severely underwhelmed in the middle last season after leaping from the NAIA level. But with a year under his belt, he may find more success against the Big 12’s ruthless, mobile big men.
Jun 23, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Campbell Hall player Isaiah Johnson (5) during the Section 7 high school boys tournament at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Additionally, the Buffaloes grabbed a bucket-getting lead guard from the transfer portal in Barrington Hargress. By way of UC Riverside, the junior averaged over 20 points per game last season and will be Colorado’s offensive engine.
While the vets hope to set solid examples, Colorado’s 2025 season will be one of youth. The Buffs brought in seven freshmen this past cycle, many of whom could see early action.
Guard Isaiah Johnson stands out after a stellar prep career, dazzling in the Buffaloes’ Black and Gold Scrimmage last Saturday. Josiah Sanders, Jalin Holland and Ian Inman, alongside redshirt in-state product Andrew Crawford and returning youngster Felix Kossaras, aim to bring life to Colorado’s backcourt.
In the frontcourt, Boyle spanned the globe by recruiting Alon Michaeli (Israel) alongside two seven-footers in Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola (Nigeria) and Leonardo Van Elswyk (Italy).
The Buffaloes open their season with an exhibition against the Grace College Lancers on Sunday at 12 p.m. MT.