Frontcourt
Sophomore center Dallas Walton (5.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 46.1 FG%), who stands seven-feet tall, is a 38.5% three-point shooter. Although he’s seen as possessing massive potential, Walton needs to work on his rebounding. Junior forward Lucas Siewert (6.8 PPG, 3.0 APG, 48.5 FG%) has a deadly three-point shot. Last season, he connected on 44.8% of his attempts. Freshman forward Evan Battey is a 6’8” power forward weighing 283 pounds. Look for him to use his imposing frame to dominate the paint. Battey, who suffered a stroke last year, appears to have recovered and is ready to compete.
Backcourt
In his freshman season last year, guard McKinley Wright IV (14.7 PPG, 5.5 APG, 45.1 FG%) led Colorado in points, assists, and steals. He has the potential to be one of the top players in the Pac-12. At this point, it’s not clear who will take the place of the departed George King. Last year, King averaged 12.9 PPG and 7.8 RPG. Junior college All-American Shane Gatling could be the answer. Gatling, who can play either guard spot, has an impressive three-point shot. Sophomore D’Shawn Schwartz (3.4 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 42.2 FG%) is expected to become an important force on the court. If he improves enough, he could make a major contribution this year.
2018-19 Colorado Buffaloes Basketball Preview – Final Word
With King and his three-point shooting chops gone, the Buffs will need to find some additional point production. That won’t be easy. Still, our 2018-19 Colorado Buffaloes basketball preview sees this team as being competitive within the Pac-12. If this team can find consistency, which they had a tough time doing last year, they will be able to get back to the tournament scene. We don’t see this team as being NCAA Tournament-ready. But the NIT is certainly an attainable goal.
