Junior forward Dallas Walton blocks his ‘opponent’ during a drill at practice. Oct. 1, 2019 (Casey Paul / CU Independent)
“There’s a target on our backs,” said junior guard McKinley Wright IV of the University of Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team. It’s hard to argue with his statement. Expectations for the team are higher than ever, but the Buffs say they are ready for the challenge.
The CU team kicked off its practice schedule on Friday with a little extra pep in its step with head coach Tad Boyle hoping to lead the team deep into March.
“We’ve got a veteran team,” Boyle said. “These guys know each other, but it’s time now. We’ve been working on stuff in the summer and working on stuff in the fall and now we’re starting to add a few things, so we kinda have our base foundation set.”
Including the Pac-12 tournament, the Buffs finished conference play 10-3 before getting knocked out by Texas in the NIT quarterfinal. Following the loss, Boyle said the team had no tears because they would be returning with such a strong core.
Well, it’s next year and the reason for optimism still rings true. CU is returning all of its starters, including Wright who is fully recovered from off-season shoulder surgery.
Junior guard McKinley Wright passes the ball to an open teammate during practice. Oct. 1, 2019 (Casey Paul / CU Independent)
“I think guys late in the season just started to figure out how good each person is and just start trusting each other more,” Wright said. “… Once we got that win streak going, we knew it could be anybody’s night.”
For the first time in a while, the Buffs are getting some serious respect. It’s best not to put too much weight on pre-season power rankings, but Sports Illustrated and SB Nation placed CU first and second in the Pac-12. Wright embraces the challenge of being one of the top dogs in the Pac-12.
“I’d be lying if I said we didn’t look at (rankings),” Wright said. “(We’ve) seen it. It makes us happy. It makes us want work harder and bring this program back to where it’s supposed to be, but I think our guys are doing a good job of not feeding too much into it.”
Fan-favorite sophomore forward Evan Battey had a breakout season, starting in 11 games and averaging 8.1 points. He’s back and recognizes a shift in the team’s identity.
“We went from being the hunter to the hunted, so it’s a different mindset,” Battey said. “Every team’s going to give us their best shot so we have to be overly welcoming to ‘let’s take their best shot.’”
Battey’s passion for the game and his teammates is a valuable trait for the Buffaloes. With Battey being the glue of this team, practices have been more competitive. He says that he and Wright are fiercely competitive during practice, but friends off the court. These positive relationships are crucial to team chemistry.
Don’t sleep on junior guard/forward Tyler Bey. He led the Pac-12 in double-doubles a year ago and is back for more. With improved maturity, said Boyle, the typically quiet Bey looks to make his presence felt in a new fashion this season.
Junior guard/forward Tyler Bey gets ready to put the ball through the net during practice. Oct. 1, 2019 (Casey Paul / CU Independent)
“I’m definitely trying to step up in a leadership role,” Bey said. “… I know my team needs me as one of the best players on the team. I need to step up and just do my part, and make sure everyone’s doing their part and have that energy that we need at practice every day.”
Bey may not ever be the loudest guy on the court, but if CU wants to compete Boyle believes everybody on the team must have their voice heard. The expectations are known, but a championship team isn’t built overnight. Colorado is ready to work and doesn’t plan on staying content.
“We all know the situation and it’s time to come to the gym and get better every day,” Boyle said. “… That’s my challenge for this group, … accept the challenge and the process that it takes to get there, which is (getting) better every day.”
Colorado will have an open practice at 11 a.m. MST, followed by an intra-squad scrimmage at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at the CU Events Center.
Contact CU Independent Head Sports Editor Jack Carlough at jack.carlough@colorado.edu.
