Editor’s note: Welcome to the CU Independent’s five-day season preview of Colorado Buffaloes basketball. Each day, we will delve into the world of CU basketball leading up to the men’s season-opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, Nov. 13. On Day 3, we checked the pulse of the CU student body for the 2009-2010 college basketball season.
(CU Independent/Beth Schonberger)
The Colorado Buffaloes men’s and women’s basketball teams are both ranked second in the Big 12 Conference.
It could be the highest the Buffs will be ranked this season. Of course, the 2009-2010 college basketball season — at least for Big 12 teams — hasn’t started yet and in such instances, the teams are listed alphabetically in the standings.
Unlike a certain head coach, there hasn’t been a declaration to the number of wins either basketball team expects this season. At basketball media day in October, men’s head coach Jeff Bzdelik and women’s head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said various factors could make this upcoming season more successful than last season.
However, the media doesn’t see the Buffs as brightly as Bzdelik and McConnell-Miller. In pre-season media polls, the men’s team was picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 while the women’s team was picked 11th.
The media’s dim view seems to have had an effect on campus as there doesn’t seem to be much chatter about either team. The lack of enthusiasm may stem from both team’s lack of performance. The men’s team finished a disappointing 9-22 overall and 1-15 in the Big 12 last season while the women went 11-18 and 3-13, respectively. Some students may opt out of watching games in order to wash their hair.
A few students said they won’t be attending men’s basketball games this year, which may include the season-opener at 7 p.m. Friday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Coors Events Center, because of the cloudy forecast.
“I would follow [men’s basketball] if there were better expectations,” said Aubrey Yeh, a 21-year-old senior music education major.
Katia Olivera, a 21-year-old senior international affairs major, doesn’t share Yeh’s sentiments. Olivera explained that after a rough start to Colorado’s football season, basketball isn’t going to grab her attention. Losing two football “freebies” to in-state rival Colorado State and Toledo in early September had far-reaching and sports-crossing implications.
“I have low expectations,” Olivera said. “I don’t expect the basketball teams to be any better.”
Not everyone feels the season is over before it begins. There will be some hopeful fans at the Coors Event Center because Bzdelik added five new players to the team, including freshman forward/center Shane Harris-Tunks who is from Australia, and junior forward Marcus Relphorde. Those two additions could help with the team’s lack of rebounding, which cost them in heartbreaking overtime losses to Texas and Kansas State.
Tyler Matlock, a 22-year-old senior MCD biology major, said he believes the men’s team will overcome the rebounding adversity they faced last season.
“We’re going to do better than people expect,” Matlock said. “It’s all about that day, that game. I expect more.”
Sentiments about the women’s team seem to be a little brighter. Junior point guard Whitney Houston returns from anterior cruciate ligament surgery that cost her all of last season. Houston’s return will alleviate some of the pressure placed on her teammates in her absence. She’s slated to play in the season-opener at 3 p.m. Sunday against UC-Irvine at the Coors Events Center.
“Women’s basketball should be a lot better,” Matlock said. “Getting Houston back should take the pressure off of [junior forward] Brittany Spears.”
Kerrie McKenzie, a 28-year-old senior sociology major, was more optimistic about the women’s basketball season.
“I think we’re going to be great,” McKenzie said.
Contact CU Independent Social Media Editor Zack Shapiro at Zashapiro@colorado.edu
