Colorado Men's Basketball To Visit Australia For Summer Exhibition Trip

As permitted once every four years by the NCAA, the Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team will travel internationally this summer.

BuffZone's Pat Rooney reported Sunday that coach Tad Boyle will soon take his new-look Buffs squad to Australia for four exhibition games. Because this offseason has again featured plenty of turnover, traveling internationally should give the Buffs a valuable opportunity to gel ahead of the 2025-26 season.

“It’s always important, but with this year’s upcoming team, I think it’s even more so,” Boyle told BuffZone. “The other thing we’ve got is our foreign trip. It’s a jump-start on the season, is how I look at it. It’s extremely important, to me for a couple of reasons. Obviously, the basketball piece of it is great. Ten practices, we get four games when we’re over there. That’s a jump-start on things.”

Mar 5, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Chance McMillian (0) blocks Colorado Buffaloes forward Sebastian Rancik (7) in the second half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Colorado previously traveled to Costa Rica in 2021 and Italy in 2017. It's currently unknown who the Buffs will play in Australia.

Outside of basketball, Boyle believes the travel opportunity gives his players a valuable chance to gain a new world perspective. The NBA has recently increased its commitment to international games, and college trips are especially important for young student-athletes to earn a well-rounded education.

“I think maybe even more important is the life experience,” Boyle told BuffZone. “It’s a great opportunity for these young people to see the world, and see a part of the world most of them, if not all of them, have not experienced. To me, when you talk about college athletics today, you talk about pay for play and all this stuff, one thing that gets lost is the education that these guys are working towards and receiving. But the other part is a trip like this and this life experience that for some of them will be once in a lifetime.”

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Mar 8, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Bangot Dak (8) during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Rooney also reported that Colorado will begin summer practices in Boulder on June 1. Incoming freshman guard Isaiah Johnson and Denver transfer guard Jon Mani will join the Buffs at a later date due to academic commitments at their current schools.

Five newcomers are set to join the Buffs on June 1: incoming freshmen Josiah Sanders, Ian Inman, Jalin Holland and Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola, and UC Riverside transfer guard Barrington Hargress. Not including transfers, Colorado's 2025 signing class ranks No. 40 nationally and No. 9 in the deep Big 12 Conference.

With seven new players joining the fold, Colorado is looking to build on a strong finish to last season. The Buffs went 2-1 in the Big 12 Tournament before falling to the Villanova Wildcats in the inaugural College Basketball Crown. Still, Colorado's 14-21 (3-17 Big 12) final record marked the worst season of Boyle's tenure.

Colorado's complete 2025-26 regular season schedule has yet to be released.