Colorado University Athletics
Amid High Expectations, Boyle's Buffs Open Practice Friday
September 25, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — When Tad Boyle meets with the Colorado men's basketball team prior to their first practice of the season — set for Friday — he will have one question for his players.
"I'm going to ask everybody to raise their hand who's played in an NCAA Tournament," Boyle said recently.
Of course, Boyle knows the answer. CU's last NCAA experience came in 2016. No one on the Buffs' current roster has played in the NCAA's annual postseason party. Thus, while Boyle's team will enter this year with perhaps the highest expectations of any CU team in years, his message will be a simple one.
These Buffs haven't proven anything yet.
"I'm going to challenge these guys every day, that's what we're fighting for, that's what we're expecting of ourselves," Boyle said. "In order to do that, we'd better be taking care of business on a day-to-day basis. Just reinforcing that the confidence is there, but we have to keep that hunger and humbleness. We've got nothing to be cocky about. It's just chatter. Whether they pick us 12th or 11th like they did last year, or wherever they pick us this year is irrelevant. It's day to day."
Still, it's no secret that Boyle's 10th team in Boulder is expected to be his best — and maybe the best CU team since Chauncey Billups led the Buffs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1997. The Buffs are already being included in a number of preseason top 25 and top 30 rankings, including a No. 24 spot in ESPN's preseason list.
There's no doubt reason for the heightened expectations. The Buffs are brimming with talent from front to back, and they are experienced as well. A team that a year ago was considered young has now turned the corner and will be seen as a veteran, battle-tested group.
CU returns five starters from last season, beginning with junior point guard McKinley Wright IV, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection last year. Wright led the team in assists (third in the Pac-12), and was second in scoring (13.0 points per game) and third in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Now, he is being touted as a Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate.
The group also includes another first-team all-conference selection, junior Tyler Bey. The 6-foot-7, 218-pound forward last year led the Pac-12 in double-doubles with 17 (15th in the nation) while leading Colorado in scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.9 rpg).
Other returning starters include senior forward Lucas Siewert, senior guard Shane Gatling and junior wing D'Shawn Schwartz.
Many believe Schwartz, a 6-7, 226-pounder, is poised to take a big next step.
"D'Shawn had a great summer, physically, confidence wise," Boyle said. "His body has really taken shape. He's shooting the ball well. He's really strong physically. Hopefully he can have a breakout year I think he's ready for. He's worked hard."
Some of those returning starters might find themselves in key reserve roles, as a number of other Buffs will be strong candidates for starting spots. That list includes sophomore forward Evan Battey (second on the team with 68 offensive rebounds last year), sophomore guard Daylen Kountz and sophomore big man Dallas Walton, who returns after sitting out last season with a torn ACL.
Walton could be a big — literally and figuratively — missing piece. A 7-0 rim protector and rebounder, he will give the Buffs a strong defensive presence in the post.
Kountz, meanwhile, also had a solid summer and could be in a key role at guard, and the Buffs are hoping for big things from Battey.
"Daylen Kountz had a great, great summer in the weightroom," Boyle said. "He's a guy that can take a step up as well. We've got a number of guys. Dallas Walton, obviously, coming back. Evan Battey really came on toward the end of the year. His trajectory is moving up."
Other returnees include junior forward Alex Strating and sophomore guard Eli Parquet, with two redshirts from last season — big men Jakub Dombek and Frank Ryder — also ready to add depth up front.
And, the Buffs also added a pair of signees in point guard Keeshawn Barthelemy of Montreal and junior college guard/forward Maddox Daniels.
One thing the Buffs worked on all summer — and will continue to address when official practice begins — is their 3-point shooting. CU finished 11th in the Pac-12 in shooting from beyond the arc last year, and this year, the 3-point line will be moved to the international distance of 22 feet, 1¾ inches (back from 20 feet, 9 inches).
It means the Buffs will be looking for more consistency from Gatling, who last year led CU with 59 3-pointers, but shot just 31.9 percent from long distance. Newcomer Daniels will also be expected to add to CU's production in that area.
The Buffs will play a preseason exhibition against Pomona-Pitzer in Boulder on Oct. 26, then open the season with their longest road trip in program history — a Nov. 8 game against Pac-12 foe Arizona State in Shanghai, China (the game will not count as a conference game).
It's the beginning of a ramped-up non-conference schedule, one Boyle believes will prepare the Buffs for Pac-12 play. CU's home opener is set for Nov. 16 against San Diego. The non-conference slate also includes games against Wyoming and either TCU or Clemson in a Las Vegas tournament in late November, as well as road games at Kansas (Dec. 7) and Colorado State (Dec. 13).
The Buffs will also face perennial NCAA tourney participant Dayton in Chicago on Dec. 21.
Colorado then opens Pac-12 play five of its first seven conference games at home, including the league opener against Oregon on Jan. 2.
But the immediate order of business for Boyle will be getting his Buffs to work — and making sure they ignore the outside "noise."
"If I sense for a minute that our guys are letting up or expecting that the world owes them something, I have to bring the hammer down," Boyle said. "We still have a lot of work to do. We can't listen to the outside noise. Easier said than done, but that's something I'm going to have to be really consistent with, on top of, certainly as we prepare to go to China in November and play a really good Arizona State team."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
