Colorado Basketball: Rebounding remains primary concern for Tad Boyle
The Buffs open their 17th season under Boyle with a new frontcourt and a difficult nonconference schedule.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Colorado men’s basketball faces a familiar challenge in its upcoming opener against Abilene Christian.
Head coach Tad Boyle has led the program for 16 seasons, and rebounding has been a persistent weakness throughout that tenure. The Buffs finished their previous campaign with a 17-16 overall record and a 7-11 mark in the Big 12. They posted a 10-28 conference record over the prior two seasons.
Boyle expressed concern that the team’s performance on the glass has not improved sufficiently to meet Big 12 standards. He noted that while the defense and offense have shown progress, rebounding remains a major issue. The team is entering the season with a new group of frontcourt players expected to address this specific deficit.
The roster features three key newcomers in the frontcourt: Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, and Goc Malual. Neely transferred from UNC Greensboro, where he averaged 11.5 rebounds per game. He ranked second in the nation in rebounding during his final season at that school. Feddersen arrived from North Dakota State, while Malual is a first-year player from Australia. All three were strong rebounders at their previous programs.
Boyle acknowledged that translating rebounding success from smaller conferences to the Big 12 has been inconsistent for transfers in recent years. He emphasized that physicality and effort are critical factors. The team will likely utilize smaller lineups, as they lack multiple players standing 7 feet tall. Neely, who stands 6-foot-6, will be tasked with maintaining high rebounding averages against larger competition.
The Buffs are positioned low in preseason predictions, reflecting cautious optimism from the coaching staff. They tied for 14th in the Big 12 coaches poll and ranked No. 15 in the media poll. Attendance figures have also declined, with the team averaging 6,207 fans per game last season, the lowest total of the Boyle era. Season ticket sales stood at 2,821 as of Friday, down from 5,020 in the 2021-22 season.
Offensive responsibilities rest largely with Barrington Hargress, who enters his final season as a fifth-year player. He averaged 14.7 points per game last year, a total that ranks 39th among CU all-time season leaders. Hargress has 1,599 career points and needs to average 12.15 points over the remaining games to reach the 2,000-point milestone. The coaching staff expects Jalin Holland, Ian Inman, and Josiah Sanders to improve their three-point shooting, as the group combined for a .230 mark from beyond the arc last season.
The nonconference schedule provides early tests against physical competition. The Buffs will travel to face San Diego State on Saturday in the Bill Walton Classic. They will also host Providence, Purdue, and Stanford during the initial stretch of the season. These games will serve as a gauge for whether the team’s defensive and rebounding improvements can withstand the rigors of major conference play.
The season opener is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. at the CU Events Center. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and KOA 850 AM. The Buffs are 16-0 in home openers under Boyle and 14-2 in season openers overall. The team has not played Abilene Christian in prior seasons, making this the first matchup between the two programs.
