Colorado Buffaloes' Tad Boyle Lands Elite Scoring Guard From Transfer Portal

Coach Tad Boyle's Colorado Buffaloes got their go-to guy.

In-demand transfer Barrington Hargress committed to Colorado on Thursday, according to Tobias Bass of The Athletic. This decision came less than a week after the former UC Riverside Highlanders guard took an official visit to Boulder.

Hargress is Colorado's first commit of the 2025 transfer cycle. Before his commitment, he took additional visits with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Seton Hall Pirates. He was listed as a four-star and No. 14 point guard in the portal by 247Sports.

NEWS: Barrington Hargress will transfer to Colorado, his agency @WEAVE tells @TheAthleticCBB

He averaged 20.2 points and 4.0 assists per game pic.twitter.com/jdNXwfp6Hz
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) April 17, 2025

The 6-foot, 195-pound incoming junior became one of the premier mid-major scorers in college basketball last season. Hargress averaged 20.2 points per game during his sophomore year, good for No. 15 in the nation. He also averaged a solid four assists a night at a rate ranking in the 96th percentile of Division I ball-handlers.

High volume played a large part in Hargress's success. His 44.4/32.9/73.3 shooting splits were on a 32.4 percent usage rate and the 11th-most field goal attempts per game in the country. Hargress scored single digits just twice in the entirety of last season.

Hargress wasn't merely a consistent scorer. He exploded in spurts during his sophomore campaign, dropping a career-high 40 points on the UC San Diego Tritons, 32 against the Cal State Northridge Matadors and 31 on the Colorado State Rams.

The Inglewood, California native led UC Riverside to a third-place regular season finish in the Big West Conference and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

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Even against Power Five competition, Hargress is no slouch. Excluding a four-point night against the Utah Utes in his second-ever collegiate contest, he's tallied 12.8 points and five assists across four career games against current power programs.

Hargress boasted solid perimeter defense while with the Highlanders, despite his smaller frame. He averaged nearly a steal per game and logged six performances with three or more steals. Boyle's defensive-minded scheme won't shy away from putting him on top guards.

Hargress should instantly insert himself as a top option for a Buffs team hard-pressed for shot creation and offensive juice. Colorado's backcourt rotation departed once the season ended, as Julian Hammond III graduated while RJ Smith and Javon Ruffin entered the transfer portal.

Feb 24, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle calls out in the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Additionally, guards Courtney Anderson Jr. and Harrison Carrington hit the portal after not seeing desired playing time.

Hammond's production, in particular, is a must to replenish if the Buffaloes hope to improve on a last-place Big 12 regular season finish in 2024-25. Hargress does exactly that, flexing scoring skill at all three levels and aggression with fewer self-inflicted mistakes than his usage rate may suggest (8.9 percent turnover rate, 89th percentile in D-I).

The Buffs will need the best version of Hargress to take a step forward next season. As of now, he's the lone upperclassman in a backcourt consisting of Felix Kossaras (sophomore-to-be), Andrew Crawford (redshirt freshman) and several high school recruits.

The only direction for Colorado to go next season is up, and Hargress is poised to captain it. Paired with sharp decision-making and steady defensive instincts, his bucket-getting ability could guide the Buffaloes to a bright future.