Back in loaded Big 12, Colorado begins season vs. E. Washington

In the season opener for both teams, Colorado and Eastern Washington clash on Monday night in Boulder, Colo., after an offseason of big changes.

Colorado won a program-record 26 games last year, including two in the NCAA Tournament (First Four and Round of 64). The Buffaloes are retooling after losing all five starters, their top five scorers and top six rebounders, including NBA draft picks Cody Williams, Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson. Eddie Lampkin Jr. transferred to Syracuse, while J'Vonne Hadley is now playing at Louisville.

That poses a challenge as Colorado -- predicted to finish 15th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 -- moves into a loaded conference that features five teams in the preseason top 10. Kansas is No. 1 followed by Houston (No. 4), Iowa State (No. 5) and Baylor (No. 8). Arizona, an old rival from the Pac-12, is No. 10.

"I think it's put a chip on our players' shoulders," Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle said of the preseason prediction. "I know it's put a chip on my shoulder."

Boyle enters his 15th season leading the Buffaloes. In his first season, they were in the Big 12 before departing to the Pac-12 for 13 years. The change in landscape doesn't change his expectations.

"The depth of the Big 12 is deeper and the venues are much more difficult to play, having coached in both leagues, and that's going to be the big difference," Boyle said. "It's a hell of a challenge and we're looking forward to it as a team, as a program."

Eastern Washington didn't jump conferences but did make a big move with the hiring of Dan Monson as coach. Monson coached Long Beach State for 17 seasons before returning to the state of Washington, where he began his career leading Gonzaga from 1997-99.

"Throughout the search for our next men's basketball coach, it was important, for us, to identify a head coach who represented this area," Eagles athletic director Tim Collins said when Monson was hired. "This region matters as much to him as Eastern does to it."

Eastern Washington was 21-11 last year and finished first in the Big Sky Conference but fell in the league tournament quarterfinals, missing a chance to play in the NCAAs. Coach David Riley was hired by Washington State after three seasons guiding the Eagles.

The Eagles are picked to finish ninth out of 10 Big Sky teams by the conference's coaches after losing six players to the transfer portal and two starters to graduation. Mason Williams is the team's top returning scorer (3.8 ppg off the bench last year).

--Field Level Media