Colorado Basketball Predictions 2010-11
November 23, 2010
Former Buffalo head coach Jeff Bzdelik took off for Wake Forest this past Spring, but he really left behind a quality team for his successor. Colorado went 15-16 last season and they have not been invited to the NCAA Tournament in quite a few years. Still, with what new head coach Tad Boyle has on his squad gives the Buffaloes hope to stop this streak. Boyle came over from Northern Colorado and managed to keep around the three important players that led Colorado last year. Last year’s Big 12 Freshman of the Year in Alec Burks returns, as do seniors Cory Higgins and Marcus Relphorde. The three put up 47.0 points per game last year. This team equals the talent of that 2003 squad that made it to the Big Dance, and with a new practice facility and a switch to the Pac-10, interest surrounding the team is at an all-time high. First and foremost, the Buffaloes need to improve their defense (74.2 PPG) and hitting the glass (-7.5 margin) to attain their ultimate goal this season.
The Buffaloes are +2000 to win the Big 12 this year. That translates to a $100 wager would win you $2,000 if they can pull it off. I certainly think it’s a longshot, but considering they bring back more offense than any other team in the Big 12 it’s not out of the question. Check out these NCAA basketball spreads for futures betting at BetUS. This reliable book will give you up to a $500 bonus on your initial deposit simply by signing up for a new account and depositing $500 or more.
Trust in Jack Jones to take make you a ton of money this year. Jack is on a 37-23 (62%) Run with his NCAA basketball picks dating back to last year.
Frontcourt:
Colorado had a -7.5 rebounding differential last season, and it was even worse in Big 12 play at -11.4. A big reason was the play of freshman center Shane Harris-Tunks, as well as sophomore forward Austin Dufault playing out of position. An extra year for each should mean the teams gets better in this category. Boyle was able to sign 7-foot freshman Ben Mills last spring who should see time instantly as long as he can hold his own in the paint. Senior Marcus Relphorde contributed 11.0 PPG and 4.1 RPG last season, but he is known for his slashing offensive skills more than his defense. Junior Trey Eckloff will be one of their reserves after not seeing much playing time a year ago. Burks was tops on the Buffs in rebounding at 5.0 RPG, and when a backcourt player is leading the team in rebounding there’s clearly going to be issues. The Buffaloes will obviously go back to square one as Boyle teaches rebounding and defense with a lot more frequency than Bzdelik.
Backcourt:
Burks ended up seventh in the Big 12 in scoring at 17.1 PPG and was tops in the conference in shooting percentage at 53.8 percent. You couldn’t have asked for more out of him as a freshman, but for him to reach his full ability he should get stronger. Boyle struck gold when he got Burks to stick around instead of entering the NBA Draft, impressing upon him how his passing offense would help Burks raise his stock. Higgins was fourth in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.9 PPG and finished second behind Burks in field goal percentage at 50.5 percent. It’s hard to conceive how Colorado could have a losing year with two solid players like Burks and Higgins on the outside who were able to knock down more than 50% of their shots even though opposing teams game-planned around stopping them. The wild card is freshman point guard Shannon Sharpe, who was forced to redshirt last year after hurting his knee in the preseason and undergoing microfracture surgery. He’ll battle it out with junior Nate Tomlinson, who started 21 times last year at point guard despite being inconsistent.
Jack’s Pick: 6th Place in the Big 12 – There hasn’t been much excitement around Colorado basketball in recent seasons, but there is promise of a breakout in 2010-11. Boyle was able to get Higgins, Burks and Relphorde and their huge offensive contributions to return, and that’s a victory within itself. He has plenty of talent to geniunely make a run at a league title, but must get this squad to rebound and defend. The Buffaloes posted 74.6 PPG last season and can score with any team, but a lack of depth and a wonder about how much these returning players want to buy in on the defensive end makes it hard for me to pick Colorado to end up any higher than 6th in the conference. I do see the Buffaloes sneaking into the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid, reaching the Big Dance for the first time since 2003.
