BOULDER — Colorado women’s basketball coach Linda Lappe and her players remain optimistic about the upcoming season despite the absence of last year’s top scorer and rebounder.
Junior forward Arielle Roberson was lost with a torn ACL in her left knee in late September during an unofficial workout. A sister of former CU men’s standout Andre Roberson’s, she averaged 12 points and 8.3 rebounds in 2013-14.
“We’ve had some great practices,” Lappe said Wednesday. “I’m really impressed with what we’ve seen so far. (Without Roberson), it’s about everybody stepping up.”
Said senior forward Jen Reese: “It stinks that Arielle got hurt. But we have so many players that can score in different ways.”
Colorado, 19-15 last season, opens Nov. 15 at home against North Dakota in a first-round game of the Preseason Women’s NIT.
The Buffs are picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12.
“We’re using that as motivation,” senior guard Lexy Kresl said.
Boyle sees high ceiling. CU men’s coach Tad Boyle said his team has a big upside, but he also reminded his players that the Buffs went 14-2 last season before Spencer Dinwiddie suffered a knee injury and were just 9-10 without him. Dinwiddie now plays for Detroit in the NBA.
“This team has a very high ceiling,” Boyle said. “But there is a lot of room for improvement.”
King to redshirt. Boyle is bullish on reserve sophomore guard George King but plans to redshirt him to even out the sophomore-dominated roster. As an upperclassman, King can become a starter, Boyle said.
The 6-foot-6 King averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds as a freshman.
