Four years ago, Colorado opened the basketball season against Montana State.
It was a nerve-racking opener for Buffaloes fans, but a thriller as well, as a CU team working in an almost entirely new rotation following an NCAA Tournament appearance escaped in overtime.
A glance at the box score, however, exemplifies what has always been achievable in coach Tad Boyle’s program with diligence and perseverance. It also just might illuminate to the next generation of potential Buffs stars the full realm of their potential.
In that game — a 94-90 victory on Nov. 9, 2021 — the Buffs utilized a rotation that featured four future NBA Draft picks. Jabari Walker and Tristan da Silva were in the starting lineup. Nique Clifford and KJ Simpson came off the bench.
All four of those players are wearing NBA uniforms now. On that night, however, none of them carried the burden of NBA expectations.
Walker made a mild splash as a freshman on a veteran team the previous season, but that night marked his first career start in an expanded role as a team leader. The same could be said of classmates da Silva and Clifford, the latter of whom didn’t blossom until he transferred to Colorado State following the 2022-23 season. Simpson was true freshman playing his first collegiate game who was still two years and countless hours in the gym away from putting together one of the top individual seasons in program history.
This year’s Buffs offer a similar profile — young, talented, but largely unproven. Any journey toward a similar professional payoff begins on Monday night, as the Buffs welcome the Bobcats back to the CU Events Center to tip off the 2025-26 campaign.
“We’ve got talented guys,” said Boyle, who begins his 16th season with the Buffs. “But it’s not about our talent level. How does our talent produce on that night? How does our talent work together on that night? And we do have some talented players on this team. I don’t know if we have future (draft picks). I think we have a couple that have a chance. Certainly some young guys that have a chance.
“But I don’t think about that right now. It’s about developing them and developing this team to have the best season we can have. There will be some growing pains. We’d like to grow through winning.”
The Buffs have plenty of candidates to be the next generation of rags-to-riches NBA prospects. Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik profile similarly to Walker and da Silva as versatile big men with the inside-outside games coveted at the next level. The seven-player freshman class is ripe with talent, with guards Jalin Holland, Isaiah Johnson and Josiah Sanders all expected to play key roles. Freshmen forwards Alon Michaeli and Tacko Ifaola are raw but rich with potential. Big, athletic wings like Felix Kossaras and Andrew Crawford have the potential to put together breakout seasons.
Regardless, Monday’s opener is just an initial test, and one of many the Buffs must pass if they hope to eventually climb out of the Big 12 basement. CU has a long way to go to prove doubters wrong, but the combination of ascending holdovers and talented newcomers should make the Buffs a more entertaining and competitive bunch than a year ago.
“For me, I’m going to coach these guys as hard as I can coach them all season long,” Boyle said. “We’ve got to wring as many wins out of this team as we can. What happened four years ago, but it’s a great lesson. That’s our job as coaches to get them ready and prepare them for what’s ahead.”
Montana State Bobcats at CU Buffs men’s basketball
TIPOFF: Monday, 7 p.m., CU Events Center.
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS (2024-25): Montana State 15-18, 9-9 Big Sky Conference; Colorado 14-21, 3-17 Big 12.
COACHES: Montana State — Matt Logie, 3rd season (32-36, overall and at Montana State). Colorado — Tad Boyle, 16th season (312-204, 368-270 overall).
KEY PLAYERS (2024-25 stats): Montana State — G Patrick McMahon, 6-7, R-Sr. (9.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .511 FG%); G Jeremiah Davis, 6-4, R-Jr. (3.5 ppg, 4-for-11 3-pointers). Colorado — F Bangot Dak, 7-0, Jr. (8.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.89 FG%); C Elijah Malone, 6-10, Gr. (7.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .592 FG%); F Sebastian Rancik, 6-11, So. (5.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, .425 FG%); G Barrington Hargress, 6-1, R-Jr. (20.2 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 rpg, .444 FG% at UC Riverside).
NOTES: The Buffs are 13-2 in season openers under Boyle and a perfect 15-0 in home openers. The only season openers CU has lost under Boyle occurred away from home — a loss against Baylor in Dallas that tipped off the 2013-14 season, and a loss against Iowa State in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to start the 2015-16 season. … Rancik has battled an ankle injury during the preseason but returned to practice this past week. … Montana State was picked in a tie for fifth in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches’ poll and sixth in the media poll. … The Buffs’ season-opening five-game homestand continues on Saturday against Eastern Washington (2 p.m., ESPN+).