Buffs Basketball Preview: “The straw that stirs the drink" is the key to a special season

BOULDER — “The heart of a champion,” “The heart of a lion,” “The straw that stirs the drink.”

No matter what phrase head coach Tad Boyle used to describe his star player during Buffaloes’ basketball media day back on Oct. 16, one point was driven home clearly—McKinley Wright IV is looking to drive this team to new heights.

Boyle is entering his tenth season as head coach at Colorado and believes this team is prepared to build off of last years’ late-season success, leading fans to wonder just how much this team can accomplish.

Exhibition Recap

On Saturday, Oct. 26 the Colorado Buffaloes appeared for the last time before the buzzers count. As Colorado steamrolled Pomona-Pitzer in an exhibition match 87-56, Buffs fans were given a brief look at the team earning the most preseason hype in recent memory. The Buffs did exactly what they were supposed to against a Division III opponent, taking care of business behind strong play from their big men. 

Dallas Walton — who saw his first game action since tearing his ACL over a year ago — paired with Evan Battey to go 9-11 from the floor for 22 points and seven rebounds. The team shot well, hitting 47.1% of shots from the floor and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Star junior point guard McKinley Wright IV also had a solid outing in limited minutes, as he scored two points to go along with two rebounds, six assists, and a steal.  

On the whole, not much should be drawn from this blowout victory, as the Buffs cycled through the entire roster to get looks at everyone before the season. The game is nothing but a short pitstop before on the long road of the college basketball season, one that sees the Buffs team just two spots shy of No. 25 in the first preseason polls.

Season Preview

There is plenty of reason to look forward to this season, as the Buffs’ roster remains largely the same. They only graduated one senior, Namon Wright, who missed the majority of games last season with a foot injury. The stability throughout the roster is one of the main advantages for a team like Colorado. Although they do not land top recruits like some national powerhouses, the strength of the Buffs comes from their depth of talent and experience.

With that in mind, the first thing to address is the Buffs’ lineup, as a healthy Dallas Walton and a developing backcourt give this team one huge advantage over last year’s squad: a rotation.

Last season this team was difficult to watch at times. Injuries and youth forced Colorado to keep the rotation tight with only one or two subs coming in off the bench. Now the squad is healthy and has a solid rotation at almost every position on the floor.

The added depth leads to one interesting question: What will be the Buff’s starting lineup?

Looking in the backcourt, the names that jump off the page are McKinley Wright, Shane Gatling, DeShawn Schwartz, and Daylen Kountz, all of whom played significant minutes last season and will be looking to build off those moving forward.

Things get interesting in the frontcourt, as the Buffs return Tyler Bey, Evan Battey and Lucas Siewart, as well as bringing Walton back from the rehab room. You can expect all four of these guys to get consistent minutes as the coaching staff adjusts the specifics based on matchups and hot hands.

For key role players, look no further than Alexander Strating and Eli Parquet. They earned some looks last season and could provide a breath of air for the regular rotation. Another interesting name is Maddox Daniels, the junior college transfer who comes in with a reputation as a lights-out shooter.

Furthermore, there are several key factors in the path toward a Pac-12 Championship for these Colorado Buffaloes, and it starts with health. Yes, being healthy is somewhat out of the control of the players, but it is still a ball that needs to bounce in favor of the Buffs for them to be contenders both now and come tournament time.

Look no further than last season, as it serves as a perfect example of injuries completely rewriting a team’s season. First, the injury to Dallas Walton caused a change in approach for the lineup, as losing their 7-footer resulted in little rotation down low and frequent foul trouble. Next, a nagging shoulder injury to Wright further showcased the dearth of experience and playmaking ability behind their star player. If the Buffs can stay healthy and keep the core together throughout the season, there is no doubt that they can push the bounds on Colorado basketball.

Another key en route towards a conference championship is for the Buffs to continue playing off their strengths as a unit. I fully expect to have a new scoring leader almost every night, as playing into their strengths means spreading the ball around early and often. There is no shortage of scoring on the roster, and Boyle stressed the need to continue improving on their three-point shooting this offseason. There are options in the front- and backcourts, beginning with names like Gatling and Siewart.

If the Buffs can remain healthy and avoid playing hero-ball, the sky is the limit for this squad. 

Predictions

I expect this team to sport a starting lineup of Wright, Gatling, Schwartz, Bey, and Battey. With that being said, every player named above will see significant action depending on the matchups at hand. Tad Boyle has several tools at his disposal, and it just so happens that some of them are multifunctional. The rotation of the frontcourt will be particularly interesting to watch, as Battey stormed onto the scene as a fan-favorite while Walton brings a size unique to the team.

As for the schedule, I see a fast start against non-conference opponents, as the Buffs have been playing together longer than most and should avoid any missteps associated with a lack of familiarity. I can reasonably see the team entering 2020 with a mark of 10-2, with their potential losses coming against Kansas and Dayton. ASU in China is a swing game, as international contests are merely symbolic of a team’s capabilities.

Entering conference play on Jan. 2 is when things get a bit more complicated, as Tad Boyle’s teams have never traveled well in the conference and have yet to show anything that would change that narrative. I have the Buffs going 12-5 in conference, putting their season total at 22-7 and in play for not only a strong seed in the Pac-12 Tournament in Vegas, but a ticket to the Big Dance.

On an individual basis, it is not unrealistic to believe the Buffs’ will have not one but two players finish on the All-Conference Team. Both Wright and Bey made strong cases last season, and are looking to build off that momentum. Both were named preseason first-team All-Pac-12 last month.

Wright is a competent leader with a style that is impossible to replicate, and although his stats may not blow national voters away, those within the conference understand and appreciate the dynamic style he brings to the table. Bey, on the other hand, brings an athleticism that is unique in the Pac-12 and he will look to average a double-double on the year while making this team.

Final Thoughts

If this was not clear already, Buffs fans should be incredibly excited about this season. Don’t get me wrong, there will be some bumps in the road and you can almost guarantee a road losing streak at some point to go along with an upset or two. But holistically this team has a high floor with an even higher ceiling. Being a 20-win team is a proud accomplishment, but not a single member of that locker room has their sights set on just that. This is not a situation like what happened at Folsom with early-season hype and a midseason fizzle, but rather a chance at something magical for a team always hungry for more.

Not enough to get you pumped? The Buffs open up the season in just a few weeks, as they travel to Shanghai, China to take on Pac-12 opponent Arizona State on Nov. 8 at 8:30 PM.