As far as exhibition contests go, the win secured by the Colorado men’s basketball team against Colorado Mines on Wednesday offered a somewhat unique preseason setting.
Following a year in which arenas featured limited attendance at best due to COVID-19, the enthusiastic crowd of just over 2,400 at the CU Events Center — more than any of the Buffaloes’ most recent home exhibition games — gave the young Buffs a small taste of a big-time college basketball atmosphere.
Those freshmen and sophomores on the CU roster with scant experience within a raucous college hoops environment will get another interesting preseason test on Sunday.
For the first time since Colorado left the Big 12 Conference, the Buffs will lock horns with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a charity exhibition contest. The matchup is the first of a home-and-home preseason series, as Nebraska is set to visit Boulder next year for another charity exhibition. With the Nov. 9 opener at home against Montana State fast approaching, the matchup Sunday morning in Lincoln gives the Buffs the rare opportunity to compete against a power-conference foe within an arena filled with fans programmed to detest the CU black-and-gold.
“Number one, we’ll be on the road. Number two, it will be Nebraska. And I know how CU fans feel about Nebraska,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “But, itap still an opportunity to get better. Itap an opportunity to learn about your team. We’ll probably do a little bit more preparation in terms of a scouting report. (Against Mines) we kind of went in, we gave our guys a five-minute scouting report. We’ll put a little more time on that, but we’re still really emphasizing Colorado.”
While the contest likely will be more competitive than a typical exhibition match, the Buffs still will attempt to focus on gaining valuable game experience ahead of next week’s official season opener.
Playing time will be critical for CU’s four active freshmen — KJ Simpson, Lawson Lovering, Julian Hammond and Javon Ruffin — and the Buffs also will be looking for a more encouraging performance from sophomore Jabari Walker. Walker enjoyed several electric performances as a freshman, but his frequent habit of getting into early foul trouble occurred once again against Mines, as Walker was whistled for a pair of fouls within the first two and a half minutes of the game.
Boyle allowed Walker to stay in the game in a move that likely wouldn’t happen in a preseason game, and Walker eventually fouled out with 6 minutes, 31 seconds remaining after going 3-for-9 with six points and six rebounds.
“We may shorten (the rotation) up a little bit, but I don’t know. I’ll kind of get a feel for it as we go,” Boyle said. “Itap an opportunity to learn. (Against Mines), our freshmen were nervous. There was some jitters. Itap natural, but you forget about it when you’ve coached for 27 years. Itap like, OK, itap an exhibition. But these freshmen, itap their first time. It was good to get that out, and now they’ll see a road environment. Because on November ninth, we hook it up.”
CU Buffs men’s basketball at Nebraska
TIPOFF: Saturday, 10 a.m., Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.
BROADCAST/STREAM: Live stream available through Big Ten-Plus (Visit bigtenplus.com for more information).
RECORDS (2020-21): CU 23-9; Nebraska 7-20.
TOP RETURNEES (2020-21 stats): Colorado — F Evan Battey, R-Sr., 10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg; G Elijah Parquet, Sr., 5.2 ppg, .476 field goal percentage; F Jabari Walker, So., 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, .526 field goal percentage. Nebraska — G Trey McGowans, R-Jr., 10.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.3 apg; F Lat Mayen, Jr., 8.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg; F Derrick Walker, Jr., 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg.
NOTES: This is a charity exhibition that will benefit three Lincoln charities — the TeamMates mentoring program, the Nebraska Greats Foundation, and the YWCA of Lincoln…Nebraska returns three starters from last year’s team and added a number of transfers, including one the Buffs are familiar with in former Arizona State guard Alonzo Verge Jr….Fred Hoiberg is beginning his third season as the Cornhuskers’ coach…Like the Buffs, Nebraska cruised to an exhibition win on Wednesday, topping Peru State 97-58. Verge posted 20 points and eight assists…League rivals for generations, CU and the Cornhuskers haven’t met since a CU win in Boulder on March 5, 2011 in the Buffs’ final regular season game as part of the Big 12 Conference.
