BOULDER, Colo. — After 13 seasons in the Pac-12, the University of Colorado's Buffaloes are back in the Big 12 with completely new rosters.
“I'm really looking forward to this season," said Tad Boyle, CU's men's basketball head coach. "We're coming off a historic season in Colorado basketball history with 26 wins, two NCAA tournament wins and three NBA draft picks. So we're really proud of what this program accomplished last year and the players with it, but this is a whole new team and a whole new season.”
The CU men's team returns no starters, five returners and three true freshmen, including Andrew Crawford, a ThunderRidge High School graduate .
“I'm a hometown kid from Highlands Ranch," Crawford said. "Like nobody comes to big [Division I] basketball schools out of Colorado. So I just hope I'm an inspiration to all the young kids working on their game. Just get after it, man. It's possible.”
On the women’s side, the Buffs are celebrating a historic 50th season. Although they’ve made three consecutive trips to the March Madness tournament, JR Payne, CU's women's basketball head coach, says she’s just carrying on the legacy of years past.
“It's important, especially with so many new players, that we try to teach them our history," Payne said. "Recognizing that we've been to not just two Sweet 16s, but many Sweet 16s and many Elite Eights, and we're trying to make sure that we can keep story tradition going.”
Tabitha Betson, a true freshman, was tabbed as the preseason Big 12 freshman of the year, the first to hold this honor in 24 years.
“I was super excited. It's nice to be recognized and appreciated. I think it's kind of a little bit silly because I feel like I haven't done anything yet, but yeah, I was super honored,” Betson said.
This season will spotlight two new teams, all with the same goal. And as Boyle says, "It’s what college hoops is all about."
“This team is going to compete and I think as fans who pay good money to come to our games, they want to see guys that are going to lay it on the line for them, and we're going to do that,” Boyle said.
CU Boulder will host Colorado Mines in exhibition play on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. for women's basketball.
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