BOULDER — Tad Boyle isn’t ready to circle Utah in red.
Just like football coach Jon Embree, Colorado’s basketball coach believes a rivalry with the Utes — or any Pac-12 team — can only be developed over time.
However, that doesn’t mean the Buffs can’t have some heated home games this season.
CU is 24-3 at the Coors Events Center under Boyle entering today’s conference debut against fellow Pac-12 newcomer Utah (4 p.m., Root Sports).
“We’d like to make the Coors Events Center the toughest place to play in the Pac-12 Conference,” Boyle said.
During nonconference play, CU’s average home attendance was 6,060, which ranked fifth in the Pac-12.
Even though CU students don’t begin the spring semester until Jan. 17, Boyle is hoping the Buffs can benefit from the type of atmosphere last season’s team created during Big 12 wins over Kansas State, Missouri and Texas.
The Buffs host Washington and Washington State next week before leaving the state for the first time since the Puerto Rico Tip-off.
“These first three games are huge,” senior forward Austin Dufault said. “If we can have a good start to the conference season, I think that will just set up the rest of the year for us and give us a lot of confidence.”
So far this season, the Utes (3-9) are easily the worst team from a Division I conference.
Utah had an RPI of 316 at , ranked 325th in scoring (58.8 ppg) and 336th in rebounding (29.6 rpg) on Friday.
On Nov. 4, Adams State got the Larry Krystkowiak era off to an ominous beginning with a 61-60 victory over Utah in an exhibition game. San Diego Christian (an NAIA team), Montana State, UNC Asheville, Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton and Weber State also have beaten the rebuilding Utes.
“We’re all 0-0,” Boyle said. “As much of a rebirth as we feel and a clean slate that we’re looking at, they’re looking at it the same way. So we can’t take anything for granted.”
The Buffs (8-4) were an inconsistent bunch during non-conference play but have won four of their last five games and gained some confidence throughout the lineup during Wednesday’s 92-34 romp over New Orleans.
Five players scored in double figures against the Privateers, led by Carlon Brown’s 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting. The Utah transfer leads CU in scoring and has downplayed the emotion of facing his former team.
“I’m not worried about distractions,” Brown said. “I’m going to practice with the same emphasis and just playing it like it’s another game. Because if I put too much emphasis on it, it might take away from the team and what we’re trying to do as a team. And I don’t want to do that.”
Freshman forward Damiene Cain, who has had trouble staying on the court for a variety of reasons, practiced Friday and should be available today.
Boyle admits to having confidence in only four players — Brown, Dufault, double-double machine André Roberson and talented freshman Spencer Dinwiddie — entering Pac-12 play.
“After that, it’s hit and miss, quite frankly,” Boyle said.
That doesn’t mean CU’s second-year head coach is thinking about shortening the bench. Cain, Jeremy Adams, Sabatino Chen and others will get a chance to solidify their roles in the next few weeks.
“If we have everybody healthy, I think 10 will be our number,” Boyle said. “How deep can we go in terms of quality minutes? That’s yet to be determined.”
CU and Utah will be travel partners in the Pac-12 with its traditional Thursday-Saturday scheduling format. Despite the Utes’ struggles, the Salt Lake City-Boulder road trip should be a formidable one for the rest of the conference.
“It’s something new and that everyone is really excited about. I don’t know what to expect,” said Dufault, a three-year veteran of the physical Big 12 battles. “We’re going up against Utah, which is supposed to be our new rival, so we’ll just see what happens.
“You need history to have a rivalry, and right now we don’t have that. But having good games with them could start that.”
There is some ancient history when the programs were members of the Mountain States and Rocky Mountain conferences. CU leads the all-time series 20-15, including a 13-4 edge in Boulder.
TEAM-BY-TEAM
Predicted order of finish in the preseason media poll:
1. UCLA BRUINS
Coach: Ben Howland (196-89, ninth season).
2011 nonconference record: 7-5.
Pac-12 opener: The Bruins lost 60-59 on Thursday at Stanford.
2. CALIFORNIA BEARS
Coach: Mike Montgomery (78-40, fourth season).
Nonconference record: 10-3.
Pac-12 opener: The Bears beat USC 53-49 on Thursday in Berkeley.
3. ARIZONA WILDCATS
Coach: Sean Miller (55-27, third season).
Nonconference record: 9-4.
Pac-12 opener: Today against Arizona State in Tucson.
4. WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Coach: Lorenzo Romar (202-107, 10th season).
Nonconference record: 6-5.
Pac-12 opener: The Huskies beat Oregon State 95-80 on Thursday night in Seattle.
5. OREGON DUCKS
Coach: Dana Altman (31-21, second season).
Nonconference record: 9-3.
Pac-12 opener: The Ducks won 92-75 on Thursday night at Washington State.
6. STANFORD CARDINAL
Coach: Johnny Dawkins (59-50, fourth season).
Nonconference record: 10-2.
Pac-12 opener: The Cardinal beat UCLA 60-59 on Thursday night in Palo Alto.
7. USC TROJANS
Coach: Kevin O’Neill (40-38, third season).
Nonconference record: 5-8.
Pac-12 opener: The Trojans lost 53-49 on Thursday night at Cal.
8. OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Coach: Craig Robinson (52-58, fourth season).
Nonconference record: 10-2.
Pac-12 opener: The Beavers lost 95-80 on Thursday at Washington.
9. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
Coach: Herb Sendek (92-82, sixth season).
Nonconference record: 4-8.
Pac-12 opener: Today at Arizona.
10. COLORADO BUFFALOES
Coach: Tad Boyle (32-18, second season).
Nonconference record: 8-4.
Pac-12 opener: Today vs. Utah.
10 (tie). WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Coach: Ken Bone (46-33, third season).
Nonconference record: 8-4.
Pac-12 opener: The Cougars lost 92-75 to Oregon on Thursday night in Pullman.
12. UTAH UTES
Coach: Larry Krystkowiak (3-9, first season).
Nonconference record: 3-9.
Pac-12 opener: Today at CU.
