Bangot Dak of the Colorado Buffaloes dunks the ball against the Montana State Bobcats at the CU Events Center on Monday. Photo: Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
The University of Colorado men's basketball team opened the season Monday night with an 84-78 win over Montana State
Why it matters: Tad Boyle, already CU men's basketball's winningest coach in history, could cement his legacy by taking the Buffs to new heights — and elevating Colorado basketball's national profile in the process.
The big picture: Last year was a down year with the Buffs losing three players to the NBA draft, coming off an NCAA tournament run.
Reality check: Expectations are not particularly high this year, with the pre-season coaches poll projecting the Buffs to finish second-to-last in the Big 12.
CU has nine new players, including five freshmen.
What's next: The Buffs will spend November and December taking on non-conference opponents before kicking off their Big 12 schedule at the start of 2026.
