University of Colorado at Boulder Parent Guide
CU Buffs Men’s Basketball Outlook 2009-2010
Unpublished
The University of Colorado Buffaloes enter the 2009-10 season under the direction of third-year head coach Jeff Bzdelik and a promising core of outstanding returning players and newcomers led by senior Dwight Thorne II and junior Cory Higgins.
Higgins returns from an outstanding sophomore campaign as CU’s premier scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game (5.4 rpg, 1.9 spg). Thorne, who is the only senior on the team, is also coming off his best season as well, averaging 12.0 points per game.
Although a fairly young team, the Buffaloes welcome back 87 percent of their scoring and 90 percent of their rebounding from a year ago. Plus there’s the association of playing in the Big 12 Conference, one of the highly competitive conferences in the nation. Factor in those components and another year under the sharp guidance of Bzdelik, and the Buffs may turn some heads this year.
A quartet of starters return where all four averaged over 30 minutes per game: Higgins, Thorne, sophomores Nate Tomlinson and Austin Dufault. The bench also sees a number of role players in juniors Javon Coney, Casey Crawford, Levi Knutson, and sophomore Trey Eckloff. With nine contributors returning, including redshirt junior Trent Beckley, the Buffaloes look to be a deeper, stronger and more of an all-around better team.
“We are getting better, there’s no question in my mind,” Bzdelik said. “I’m really excited about coaching this basketball team.”
The freshmen class features guards Alec Burks, Shannon Sharpe, and Keegan Hornbuckle. Center/forward Shane Harris-Tunks and junior-transfer guard/forward Marcus Relphorde will also make an immediate impact in their first year in Boulder.
“We didn’t have success on the scoreboard last year because we weren’t deep enough, strong enough, mature or experienced enough,” Bzdelik stated. “We have gotten deeper because of the five additional players. We have gotten stronger because of the weight room and with the strength coach, coupled with the dedication of our players since last April to get stronger.”
“We are now a little bit more experienced based on the number of quality minutes all of our young players received last year and they are a little more mature now…with this group, I like what I see.”
Coach Bzdelik has more pieces to the puzzle than ever before. When asked what it will take to be successful this season, he said, “The winning and losing will take care of itself if my team plays to its fullest potential.”
| Date | Opponent | Netwok | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue. Jan. 12 | *BAYLOR | FSN RM | 7 p.m. |
| Sat. Jan. 16 | *KANSAS STATE | Big 12 | 2 p.m. |
| Wed. Jan. 20 | *at Oklahoma State | ESPNU | 7 p.m. |
| Sat. Jan. 23 | *at Texas A&M | Big 12 | 11:30 a.m. |
| Wed. Jan. 27 | *NEBRASKA | FSN RM | 8 p.m. |
| Sat. Jan. 30 | *at Iowa State | CTN | 7 p.m. |
| Wed. Feb. 3 | *KANSAS | ESPN2 | 7 p.m. |
| Sat. Feb. 6 | *MISSOURI | Big 12 | 2 p.m. |
| Sat. Feb. 13 | *at Kansas State | Big 12 | 4 p.m. |
| Wed. Feb. 17 | *OKLAHOMA | ESPNU | 7 p.m. |
| Sat. Feb. 20 | *at Kansas | Big 12 | 2 p.m. |
| Wed. Feb. 24 | *at Missouri | 5:30 pm. | |
| Sat. Feb. 27 | *IOWA STATE | Big 12 | 11:30 a.m. |
| Tue. Mar. 2 | *at Nebraska | 6 p.m. | |
| Sat. Mar. 6 | *TEXAS TECH | Big 12 | 2 p.m. |
