The 2022-23 men’s basketball season is on the horizon and with just about two weeks until the annual march toward March begins, the USA TODAY Sports Preseason Coaches Poll was released on Monday.
Three Pac-12 programs are in the first edition of the poll — UCLA at No. 7, Arizona at No. 13 and Oregon at No. 21 — and while Colorado is absent and didn’t receive votes like fellow Pac-12 program USC, the Buffs still have an intriguing team.
Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson lead the way for the Buffaloes heading into the season, each looking to build off an impressive 2021-22 season. They also have some hype to live up to after each was named to the preseason All-Pac-12 team, as was announced Monday.
Da Silva has established himself as a leader for the Buffs over his time in Boulder, averaging 9.4 points per game last season and proving himself to be a capable option to stretch the floor, shooting 37% from three.
Simpson should find himself in a bigger role this year. The sophomore guard proved himself to be a capable option off the bench last season and definitely will be a name to watch in this campaign.
Junior guard Nique Clifford provides another solid option on the offensive end, shooting 40% from deep last season, but he’s also a name to look at defensively, along with da Silva.
Colorado is a young team that lacks a true bonafide star, which would explain the lack of preseason attention. But if the Buffs can play well defensively through the likes of da Silva and Clifford, then they could be capable of both playing spoiler in the Pac-12 and building toward another postseason run in 2023.
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