With one game left in the regular season, the University of Colorado men’s basketball team has a chance to make school history. Colorado’s 79-69 win over Arizona State on Sunday improved their record to 21-9, tying the school record for regular-season victories. They can eclipse that mark with a road win over No. 13 Utah on Saturday.
On Monday, CU’s head basketball coach Tad Boyle joined Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro on Afternoon Drive on Mile High Sports AM 1340. The one question on everyone’s mind? Could this be the best CU team that Boyle has ever coached?
“I think that’ll be determined by how we play over the next two to three or four weeks quite frankly,” Boyle said. “Potentially it’s one of our better teams.”
The 2015-16 Buffaloes currently rank 29th in NCAA Rating Percentage Index, which is better than any other CU team under Boyle has finished, and that rating could improve after their game against Utah.
When the strength of schedule metric is used, the current team ranks 46th in the nation, while the 2013-14 CU team finished the season ranked 13th. That 2013-14 team also earned 21 regular-season victories to tie the school record. They made it to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament and were knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
If the tournament record of CU teams under Boyle is used as a measuring stick, then the best so far was the 2011-12 team. That season the Buffs won the Pac-12 tournament and made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. That season was the first time CU had earned an NCAA Tournament berth since 2002-03 and only the third NCAA Tournament appearance since 1968-69.
Though tournament records, overall wins or RPI could all be used to measure greatness, Boyle doesn’t leave out the first CU team he ever coached. Despite a notable season in the Big 12, they did not earn a place in the NCAA Tournament.
“Five years ago we had arguably one of our best and most talented teams and we got left out,” Boyle said. “We beat five top-25 teams that year, beat K-State three times, beat Missouri, went to the semifinals and played Kansas to a heck of a game in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament and we got left out.”
Ultimately, this year’s team will be remembered for how well they finish the season and how far they go in the upcoming tournaments. The win over Arizona State put CU in a good position and they could even potentially earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
Boyle admitted that the Buffs have seen some inconsistent performances, especially from their guards and wing players, but he was quick to point out that when they’re performing they become a dangerous team.
“Our perimeter play, when they’re good, and our big guys are playing at the level they can play at, this is as good a team as we’ve had,” Boyle said. “Probably not our most talented team but potentially our best team.”
Listen to the full discussion with Tad Boyle in the podcast below…
Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro every weekday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 or stream live any time for the best coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
