As Buffs Await Postseason Announcement, Next Season Also On Their Minds
March 17, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Late Friday evening in Las Vegas, as he talked about his team's desire to continue its season with an NIT bid, Colorado coach Tad Boyle still couldn't resist the temptation of looking ahead to next season.
Boyle's Buffs will likely hear their name called Sunday evening when the NIT reveals its 32-team bracket, after the 68-team NCAA Tournament pairings have been announced. Currently 21-12 after winning 10 of their last 13 games — including two in the Pac-12 tournament — the Buffs entered the day Sunday with a Net Evaluation Tool ranking of 66, a number that should easily get them into the NIT.
As Boyle said after Friday's Pac-12 semifinal loss to Washington, "There's 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament and 32 in the NIT. Top hundred — are we a top hundred team in the country? Absolutely. No doubt in my mind now. Doesn't always work, because of the way the automatic bids work, but, yeah, I do think we've played (well) enough."
An NIT bid would no doubt be a positive for the Buffs, especially if they can land a home game or two. A team that progressed steadily down the stretch would get more tournament experience, something that can't be duplicated in the practice gym.
But even as Boyle recapped the loss to the Pac-12's regular season champion Huskies, he also mentioned what is on the mind of every CU basketball fan: a 2019-20 season that will likely see Colorado start the year as one of the Pac-12 favorites, as well as a team that will enter the year with the expectation an NCAA Tournament berth.
"Since Jan. 31, when we lost to Oregon State at home, these guys have come so far," Boyle said. "We've really grown as a team and I think our program has grown. The good news is every one of these guys in uniform tonight is coming back next year."
Indeed, every Buff who contributed to Colorado's eight-for-10 regular season stretch run is expected to return next year. That includes a pair of first-team all-Pac-12 selections in McKinley Wright IV and Tyler Bey, as well as the other starters: freshman Evan Battey, sophomore D'Shawn Schwartz and juniors Shane Gatling and Lucas Siewert.
Also on target to return are freshman guards Daylen Kountz and Eli Parquet, along with sophomore forward Alex Strating and freshman Jakub Dombek, a promising 6-foot-11 talent who should benefit greatly from an offseason in the weight room.
The only player from this year's roster guaranteed not to be back is senior Namon Wright, whose season was cut short after 14 games because of a foot injury. Boyle hasn't said if junior guard Deleon Brown, who missed the entire conference season because of academic woes, will return.
But the Buffs will have the services of 7-footer Dallas Walton next year — a huge plus on both ends of the court. Walton, who missed the year with a knee injury, is a terrific rim protector on defense and a scoring threat in the post and from the wing on offense. Had he been available this year, it's easy to imagine the Buffs as an NCAA Tournament team, and his presence next year will no doubt heighten the expectations that will accompany the Buffs.
Colorado will also have some additional depth up front next year when redshirt transfer Frank Ryder becomes eligible, and CU will add at least one player in the recruiting cycle.
It adds up to a team that won't be under anyone's radar when the 2019-20 season opens.
"We know what we have here and the great players we have here," Wright said in the locker room after Friday's loss to Washington. "We showed the team we are the second half of the season. Next year it just lets us know that next year we can't drop the games that we did early in this season like the San Diegos, Indiana States and Hawaiis. We know the type of team we are, we just have to jump on people's necks from the start next year."
But first, the Buffs  would like to extend the current season for at least a few more games.
The NIT pairings will be announced Sunday after the NCAA Tournament selection show, which begins at 4 p.m. The NIT selection show begins at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
NIT SETUP: The 32-team bracket will be separated into four quadrants, each seeded No. 1 through No. 8. Games will be played at campus sites until the semifinals, which are at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The first round of the NIT is on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20. The second round will then be played between Thursday, March 21 and Monday, March 25. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27. Action then moves to New York City for the semifinals on Tuesday, April 2. The NIT title game, also at Madison Square Garden, is set for Thursday, April 4.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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