College basketball tipped off its season this week — and with it on the Front Range, two new coaching eras.
When Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe take their respective benches for the Colorado men’s and women’s teams tonight, the new faces will be joined by new styles and new hopes.
With the Buffaloes’ men’s team, Boyle inherits two big-time scorers in Cory Higgins and Alec Burks, a backcourt tandem. But the former Northern Colorado coach said he always stresses defense and rebounding with his teams.
Those were weaknesses for the Buffs the past several years.
“I’m really impressed with how these guys have handled the coaching change, which is behind us,” Boyle said.
With CU, expect a much speedier tempo than under Jeff Bzdelik.
“We’re going to run and gun, score a lot and dunk a lot, so I like that,” Burks said.
Said Boyle, “We’re definitely going to run on every miss (by the opponent), and we’re going to run on a lot of makes.”
Some preseason publications have projected CU to make the expanded 68-team field of the NCAA Tournament, which would be the Buffs’ first appearance since 2003.
“We’re definitely going to improve from last year,” Higgins said. “We should. We have the pieces to do it, and we should take it to the next level with a winning record and hopefully get to the NCAAs.”
The Colorado women also will have a new identity.
“We will play tough, very hard- nosed defense,” said Lappe, a former Metro State coach and a star player at CU now in her first year coaching in Boulder. “That’s where everything starts. We’ve also worked really hard to be in great shape. We feel we have to use that altitude.”
TIPOFFS
College basketball season is upon us. The Front Range teams in action this weekend:
Men
Today
Denver vs. Cal-Santa Barbara, at Eugene, Ore., 5:30 p.m.
UNC vs. Tabor, 7:30 p.m.
CU vs. Idaho St., 8 p.m. (FSN)
Saturday
CSU vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff, 7 p.m.
Denver at Oregon, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday
AFA vs. CU-Colo. Spr., 2 p.m.
Women
Today
AFA vs. Lipscomb, 1 p.m.
Denver at Wyoming, 7 p.m.
UNC vs. South Dakota, 5 p.m.
CU vs. Regis, 5:30 p.m. (FSN)
CSU vs. Northern Iowa, 7 p.m.
Sunday
AFA at UNC, 3 p.m.
AROUND TOWN
Taekwondo Trials on tap.
The London Games are too far off to start a countdown, but American taekwondo stars can’t wait.
The U.S. Taekwondo Olympic Trials will be held this weekend in Colorado Springs, with a step toward London awaiting the winners.
In the world of taekwondo, the lights will be bright at the Olympic Training Center. Several medal winners from the 2008 Beijing Games will return, including siblings Steven Lopez, Mark Lopez and Diana Lopez of Sugar Land, Texas. Steven won gold in 2000 and 2004, and bronze in 2008, and he won five consecutive world championships between 2001-09.
Three weight classes will compete Saturday starting at 9 a.m., with a fourth on Sunday at 9 a.m. Winners advance to the world qualification tournament in Azerbaijan next July.
STAY ON THE COUCH
Pacquiao-Margarito big bout.
The “cheater” tab still follows boxer Antonio Margarito, nearly two years after a hand-wrapping scandal marred a fight against Shane Mosley.
But mistake not, the “Tijuana Tornado” remains one of the toughest chins in the game. So don’t consider him a setup for megachamp Manny Pacquiao when the two square off Saturday.
In the biggest boxing bout of the year, Pacquiao and Margarito will fight at Cowboys Stadium, with more than 50,000 expected in attendance, with more than 1 million watching on HBO pay-per-view. The fights start at 7 p.m. MST.
It will be Pacquiao’s second fight at Cowboys Stadium, where he disposed of Joshua Clottey in March. Since then, the “Pacman” was elected to congress in his native Philippines.
Margarito, though, will be a tougher test. The former welterweight champ will fight in his regular class, while the smaller, quicker Pacquiao will move up to fight at 150 pounds. If he wins, it would be Pacquiao’s record eighth title in a different division.
GET OFF THE COUCH
Runners rejoice.
The Thanksgiving races get started early this weekend with turkey-themed runs in Longmont and Boulder.
The 36th running of the Longmont Turkey Trot will race a 10K and a 2-miler Saturday. The race in Longmont will run from Altona Middle School on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The race goes to support Longmont Rec’s youth scholarship fund ().
On Sunday in Boulder, find the Panicking Poultry 5K, racing from Boulder Reservoir at 9:30 a.m. That race goes to help the Kristen Ettensohn memorial scholarship fund ( and ).
For a longer run, check out the HRCA Backcountry Half Marathon in Highlands Ranch on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. ().
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE
Kids getting their kicks.
NCAA winter sports are kicking in, but the fall sports are hanging on. Several Colorado teams will compete in the NCAA Division II soccer tournament this weekend.
In the men’s bracket, No. 3-ranked Colorado Mines on Thursday dispatched Regis and advanced to face either Midwestern State or Truman State on Sunday in the second round.
On the women’s side, third-ranked Fort Lewis will host either Metro State or Colorado Mines in the second round Sunday. The Roadrunners and Orediggers meet tonight in Golden. Regis will play a first-round game tonight against N.M. Highlands.
