The Overlooked Freshman Who's Key to Colorado Men's Basketball's Turnaround

Keeping his freshmen out of the transfer portal won't come cheap, but Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball coach Tad Boyle may put some added effort in retaining guard/forward Ian Imnan around for at least another year.

After watching Inman score eight points in Colorado's Saturday afternoon win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Boyle shared his appreciation for the freshman's mature mindset amid what has been a bumpy season in Boulder.

Overlooked Freshman Key Colorado Men's Basketball Future Buffaloes Ian Inman Tad Boyle Oklahoma State Cowboys Isaiah Johnson — Feb 21, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle calls out in the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“The one thing I really respect about Ian is he doesn't let his playing time or his lack of playing time affect his attitude, affect his effort, or affect his mentality," Boyle said, per CU. "He plays with great confidence within himself, and that's hard to do for a freshman. So to me, that’s why when I look to the future, he’s a big part of it. He's got a chance to become a really good college basketball player in this league. His best days are certainly ahead of him."

Inman, a former three-star prospect from Texas, is averaging only seven minutes and 3.1 points per game but has still turned heads with his aggressive offensive approach. Including Saturday, the freshman has taken multiple 3-point shots in seven of the 16 games he has appeared in (34.3 percent).

"I’m really proud of his mental approach to the game, whether he makes shots or not, he's gonna be a good player," Boyle added.

While he's still looking to find consistency, Inman has come on strong in the month of February. He scored a then-career-high 10 points against Baylor on Feb. 4 before dropping 12 against Texas Tech one week later.

In six games played this month, the freshman is shooting 44 percent (11-for-25) from the field, with all but six attempts coming from beyond the arc.

Colorado Freshmen Taking Charge

Colorado's six-member freshman class enjoyed another strong showing on Saturday, accounting for 41 points and 12 rebounds. Alon Michaeli arguably impressed the most with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals.

“We need them to win," forward Bangot Dak said of Colorado's freshmen. They’re coming off the bench and starting for us in games. The energy that they bring for us, the multiple efforts and knocking down shots, being able to get in there and get steals for us, it's helpful. The energy brings us up and they go in there and play hard every single time. It's much appreciated from those guys."

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Four regular season games now remain for the 15-12 (5-9 Big 12) Buffs. They'll host Kansas State on Wednesday before battling Houston (Saturday), Utah (March 3) and Arizona (March 7).

Colorado's only route to the NCAA Tournament is likely through winning the Big 12 Tournament, which begins March 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. Last year, the Buffs won two conference tournament games before falling to Houston.