Biggest Takeaways From Colorado Men's Basketball's Undefeated Start

Following Friday's Acrisure Holiday Classic championship game win over the Washington Huskies, the Colorado Buffaloes are now one of only four undefeated men's basketball teams in the loaded Big 12 Conference.

Coach Tad Boyle's Buffs are now 7-0 for the first time since 2019, with the likes of point guard Barrington Hargress, true freshman Isaiah Johnson and forward Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak leading the charge. Including Johnson and fellow freshman standout Josiah Sanders, Colorado's roster features seven players navigating their first college basketball season.

"We knew coming into this season that we're going to need some freshmen to step up, and they have," coach Tad Boyle said earlier this season, per CU. "We also know that freshmen are freshmen, and there's going to be nights where they play like freshmen. Right now, they're growing, they're learning, and we're doing it by winning games. The one thing about this group: they're not afraid."

Below are three key takeaways from Colorado's 7-0 start to the season:

Barrington Hargress Is Legit

Takeaways Colorado Men's Basketball Washington Huskies Acrisure Holiday Classic Isaiah Johnson Bangot Dak Tad Boyle Buffaloes — Nov 30, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; UC Riverside Highlanders guard Barrington Hargress (24) shoots the ball against UCLA Bruins guard Will McClendon (4) in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Coming from a lower-level program at UC Riverside, it wasn't guaranteed that Hargress' talents would translate, but the junior point guard has so far impressed with 39 assists and only eight turnovers through seven games. The Buffs' offensive facilitator has also scored 11 or more points in five games

“I’m extremely comfortable initiating this offense," Hargress said after Colorado's win over UC Davis last week. "That’s what they brought me here to do, and I take extreme pride in that. The first thing I thought about when I came here was the amount of threats that I have, like Bangot, and Sebastian, even Isaiah and Alon (Michaeli). There’s a handful of guys that I have at my disposal, so I feel extremely comfortable in this offense.”

Youth Movement

The aforementioned freshman class has turned heads early this season and is a large reason why Colorado is averaging just over 90 points per game. In Friday's 81-68 win over former Pac-12 foe Washington, Johnson scored 13 points off the bench, Michaeli had 13 and redshirt freshman Felix Kossaras nailed three 3-pointers.

“It’s an everyday thing with them," Hargress said of CU's freshmen. "You can see that in practice, all the guards in the room, we go at each other. It’s no surprise that our freshmen are waking up, and they’re actually applying pressure to the other team, so I’m not surprised by it."

Other freshmen who've made a big impact early include Sanders and Jalin Holland, who've provided big minutes off the bench.

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Depth Equals Wins

Especially once Big 12 play begins in January, Colorado's improved depth should lead to continued success. Boyle rolled with a nine-man rotation against San Francisco and Washington in the Acrisure Holiday Classic, highlighted by a 31-point outburst by the Buffs' bench against the Huskies.

Depth is critical to maintaining a high level of play, and Boyle has found a solid group he can rely on (at least offensively) early this season.

Colorado will next host California Baptist on Monday (7 p.m., ESPN+).