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Big 12 coaches: Buffs will finish in basement
2008-09 Big 12 Preseason Poll
Following are the results of the coaches poll, showing team (first place votes) and points. Eleven points were awarded for first place, 10 for second, etc. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team.
1. Oklahoma (3) 109
2. Texas (4) 107
3. Baylor (2) 103
Kansas (3) 103
5. Texas A&M 79
6. Oklahoma State 69
7. Missouri 51
8. Kansas State 50
9. Nebraska 49
10. Texas Tech 39
11. Iowa State 20
12. Colorado 13
More Mens Basketball 
Share and Enjoy Jeff Bzdelik's office was unoccupied.
Steve McClain and the other assistants weren't around either.
The Colorado men's basketball coaching staff was scattered from coast to coast recruiting.
And perhaps that's the best possible response any of them could give a reporter looking for a reaction to the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, which was released Tuesday.
Bzdelik's peers tabbed the Buffs to finish in last place. CU only received 13 points while Iowa State, picked 11th, received 20.
Oklahoma, the team that struggled to end the Buffs' second consecutive 20-loss season at the Big 12 Tournament last March with a 54-49 win in the quarterfinals, is the preseason favorite for the first time in Big 12 history.
"We mostly ignore it," CU sophomore shooting guard Levi Knutson said of the preseason projections. "There's an aspect where you want toprove people wrong, but that's not where we get most of our motivation."
Bzdelik's background gives him a lot of respect in the Big 12 coaching fraternity. But Bill Self and Rick Barnes obviously believe there is a lot more rebuilding to do before the Buffs are a serious threat.
After all:
There is a good chance CU will start three freshmen and two sophomore this season.
Last year's two best players, Richard Roby and Marcus Hall, are out of eligibility.
And losing Jeremy Williams, who decided to leave the program after watching Xavier Silas, Caleb Patterson and numerous other Ricardo Patton recruits march out of Boulder, will hurt Bzdelik's depth and size.
"Obviously, we're a really young team and nobody expects young teams to win a conference like the Big 12," Knutson said. "But when you get out there it's just five guys against five guys and you just go out and play. Your age doesn't matter. All that matters is how you play when you're out there."
Knutson watched film in CU's posh new locker room on Tuesday before shooting on the bright new floor at the Coors Events Center. Since Bzdelik was hired a new basketball operations center has been added to the arena, work on a new weight room has started and there are plans to build a $10 million practice facility.
"We would anticipate that his basketball team continue to go on the same curve as those elements are," CU athletic director Mike Bohn said when asked about his expectations for the program in Bzdelik's second season. "And when it all comes together, I think we're going to have something special. Fan support is a part of it, too. That helps recruit players, that helps win games. ...
"I think that's indicative of the type of growth we expect. I know Jeff expects that, he's an impatient guy. But he and his staff are working their tail off and doing a great job in recruiting and we'll get there."
OU received 109 points in the coaches poll. Texas, which actually had the most first-place votes, was second with 107 points. Baylor and reigning national champion Kansas were tied for third with 103 points.
Texas A&M (79 points) was fifth, followed by Oklahoma State (69), Missouri (51), Kansas State (50), Nebraska (49) and Texas Tech (39).
"We're not really concerned with where other people view us," Knutson said. "We're just trying to play our game and see what happens."
The Buffs open the season at home on Nov. 14 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Posted by vkberlinn on October 7, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A big mistake by them there coaches. Young but talented. And coach loves that.
Posted by nepabuff on October 7, 2008 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Last? Bohn did it again.
Posted by vegasbufffan on October 7, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we now have a great coach and a much better group of kids coming in. I see this program going the right direction.
Every year will be better from this point on.
Posted by vkberlinn on October 7, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
nepa cream is cream. old cream stinks. you are old cream. Your husker bodiddly is paining you. and his brother bo two.
While playing on your cream boards have you seen yourself pound the kobs? you do a go job.
2 pm in linkin you must have closed up the hotdog stand.
rough em up buffs
Posted by buff4life on October 7, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dude now you are "bashing" the cu hoops team. good lord...what a pityful husker you truly are...get a frikkn life pal...you are a true piece of work.....god i feel sorry for you, 62-36 has made you miserable human being, take a vacation and get out of lincoln my lonely depressed bitter lil red friend.....coach B is the man for the job...keep in mind the 'credibility' of preseason mags and polls--most of them have predicted that the nebraska football team to win several big 12 titles since 2000, how many have they won nepa??? i know, i know nepa---"no way an air force coach can win in the big 12", right??...lol...go buffs!!!
Posted by thefishheadsoup on October 7, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
bzdelik is the king of ennui bball. as if going to the coors event center weren't bad enough, now we have the master of horrible bball. the big XII coaches will be proven right, and CU is saddled with three loser coaches: hawkins, bzdelik and mcconnell-miller.
Posted by vkberlinn on October 7, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
nepa and the cream was picked to finish 9th with juniors and seniors
there you have it.
Posted by buff4life on October 7, 2008 at 3:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yup and these chat rooms are saddled with three true losers, fishbrain-whosyourdummy-nepaclown, who continue to show how ignorant they are about all college sports...its just really sad and embarrassing that nebraska fans will forever be mad and have bitterness towards the university of colorado buffaloes over 62-36....GROW UP AND MOVE ON.....i guess we should hire coaches that instruct players to play 'dirty' and spit on other players, that like to make 'throat slash jestures' and threaten refs and beat up 65 yr old coaches from kansas state--bill synder is 65 yrs old for christs sakes!!!...i just cant imagine that most neb fans are this pathetic and ignorant...but then again it was at nebraska that we saw, "SALS DEAD GO BIG RED".....you folks make me sick...sad and pathetic...shame on you--i know your parents raised you better than this...have some respect for yourself.....go buffs and coach B---my son really liked the hoops camp this year coach--you are and HAWK are class acts regardless of what bitter nebraska fans "spew"....
Posted by extrapoint on October 7, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
according to nepa we are already last before the season starts.
kinda like when he was busting Hawks chops before he coached a down in a game (under the good Dr., of course)
any queston now if he has a hidden agenda? gotta be a fairly childish one, too.
being forecasted last is fine with me. We have no where to go but up
right nepa?
Posted by phxbuff on October 8, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder how many people opened up this article thinking it was about football??? Who cares about CU basketball.
Posted by cubuffone on October 8, 2008 at 9:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
3 coaches three bottom finishers we are headed in the right direction.
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