Colorado Hosts Towson To Open 2023-24 Season

Tip: 5:36 p.m. MT
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THE SEASON: Colorado officially opens the 121st season of varsity men's basketball by hosting Towson on Monday, Nov. 6.

OPENERS: Colorado is 85-35 (.708) in all-time season openers and has won its last seven. The Buffaloes are 11-2 under head coach Tad Boyle and 38-5 in overall season openers since 1980-81.

The Buffaloes are 96-24 (.800) all-time in home openers, have won their last 15 and 21 of their last 22. Boyle's teams are 13-0 in home openers.

RIGHT AT HOME: At the CU Events Center, the Buffaloes have won:
   - 13 of 18 in 2022-23 (13-5)
   - 30 of their last 41 (30-11)
   - 36 of their last 48 (36-12)
    - 49 of 64 (49-15)
   - 64 of 81 (64-17)
   - 76 of 96 (76-20)
   - 97 of 121 (97-24)
   - 107 of 132 (107-25)

In the Tad Boyle era, Colorado is 177-39 at home (.819). The Buffaloes are 490-190 (.721) all-time at the CUEC. The Buffaloes have won at least 10 games at home each of the last 14 seasons.

NONCONFERENCE NUMBERS: Colorado is 118-37 (.761) in nonconference regular season games under head coach Tad Boyle including a 71-20 mark (.780) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

Colorado is 89-8 (.918) in nonconference home games under Boyle, a record which includes a 7-2 mark in postseason action.

Colorado's 13 nonconference opponents in 2022-23 combined to win 61.6 percent of their games. Add the Buffaloes' Pac-12 opponents Colorado had an average opponent NET rank of 106 - the 45th best mark in the nation a year ago.

EXHIBITION RECAP: Colorado passed one final preseason test with a convincing 69-45 exhibition win over MSU Denver at the CU Events Center on Oct. 28

Colorado jumped out to a 21-5 lead and never let the Roadrunners threaten after that. Senior forward Tristan da Silva led the way with 11 points, on 4 of 8 shooting, with seven rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore KJ Simpson added 10 points as all 12 Buffaloes that appeared in the game got into the scoring column.

Brayden Maldonado led MSU Denver with 10 points.

Colorado held the Roadrunners to 34.6 percent from the field and held a 42-29 edge on the boards. The Buffaloes had 16 turnovers, but came out on the plus side in that regard, forcing MSU Denver into 21.

Colorado led by 15 at the break, 33-18, but had some scoring droughts that prevented the Buffaloes from pushing that margin further. Colorado shot 37.5 percent and scored just seven points over the final six minutes.

In the second half, the Buffs would come out looking much more dialed in offensively, shooting 52 percent (15 of 29).

Freshman Cody Williams made his much-anticipated debut with eight points five rebounds and two assists along with a couple dunks.

Eddie Lampkin also had some moments in the post with eight points on 4 of 6 from the field.

Simpson, da Silva and J'Vonne Hadley accounted for 20 of the Buffs 33 first-half points.

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Towson is coming off a 21-12 season in 2022-23 and a third place finish in the Coastal Athletic Association at 12-6. The Tigers return eight players from last year's team including graduate forward Charles Thompson who averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game earning All-CAA Defensive Team honors. Thompson earned Preseason All-CAA honors. The Tigers were picked to finish fifth in the 2023-24 CAA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll.

THE SERIES: This will be the second meeting between Colorado and Towson. The Buffaloes won the only other meeting against the Tigers, then known as Towson State, 93-83 on Nov. 25, 1991, at the CU Events Center.

Players Mentioned

Tristan da Silva

J'Vonne Hadley

KJ Simpson

Cody Williams

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