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One Backcourt Duo Among Many With Much to Prove as CU Buffs Men’s Basketball Starts Season 24-25 – Boulder Daily Camera

Umito November 4, 2024

Julian Hammond III and Javon Ruffin will not appear on any list detailing the best backcourts expected to be on display in the Big 12 this season.

It will take an unexpected jump in expectations for either player to land on Big 12 all-conference teams, and there’s a good chance neither guard will be Colorado’s leading scorer. Still, regardless of how much success the CU men’s basketball team enjoys this year in its return season in the Big 12, strong, healthy seasons from the Buffaloes’ two veteran guards will be a crucial component .

CU enters its 122nd season of men’s basketball, and 15th under head coach Tad Boyle, with an opening date Monday against Eastern Washington.

A mix of graduate transfers, youngsters taking on bigger roles, players like Ruffin trying to shake off their injury history and untested rookies will be challenged to come together quickly. Yet in a game dominated a little more each year by guard play, the fortunes of Hammond and Ruffin will go a long way toward defining the fortunes of the Buffs.

“(Hammond) is probably our most consistent guard on the floor,” Boyle said. “I have 100% confidence in him. Actions speak louder than words as a coach. If I didn’t have confidence in Julian or Javon Ruffin, I would have signed a point guard in the transfer portal. But I didn’t do it. I have confidence in these two guys.

“Some of them will play together. These are two of our most experienced guards. So I can’t start them together. But they will definitely play together at some point in the match. And I guess if it’s a close game late in the game, both of those guys will be on the field finishing games.

No one else on CU’s new team has logged as many games in a Buffs uniform as Hammond (88 games) and Ruffin (42), although both guards still have plenty to prove in their new roles as leaders of the backcourt.

Hammond, a three-year rotation player, was on track for a potential career year last year before being derailed by back and knee injuries. Ruffin had flashes two seasons ago, but his three years at CU were dominated by knee problems.

The Buffs don’t have a traditional backup point guard, like how Hammond backed up KJ Simpson the past two seasons, or Keeshawn Barthelemy backed up McKinley Wright IV during the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament season. Ruffin should fill that role off the bench with possible help from third-year junior RJ Smith, another player whose season was cut short due to injury last year.

“For me, what makes Ruff and Julian so good is that they can both lead the team from the point, but they can also compete,” Boyle said. “That’s the beauty of having these two guys. So you can have them both together on the floor. They can both shoot the ball. They can both handle the ball.

“Defensively, the problem with this team with me is that I don’t see that we have a defensive stopper, on the perimeter or in the post. So who plays is who keeps. Because we have a lot of guys who can score the ball, shoot the ball and play offense. What we don’t have yet is a defensive mentality that we need to have.

Eastern Washington at CU Buffs men’s basketball

NOTICE: Monday, 7 p.m. CU Events Center.

TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.

RECORDS (2023-24): Eastern Washington 21-11; Colorado 26-11.

COACHES: Eastern Washington — Dan Monson, 1st season (445-396 overall). Colorado – Tad Boyle, 15th season (298-183, 354-249 overall).

KEY PLAYERS: Eastern Washington — G Tyler Powell, 6-5, R-Jr. (2.1 points per game, .359% with Nevada in 2022-23); G Sebastian Hartmann, 6-6, then. (3.0 ppg, 0.545 FG% in 2023-24); Colorado (2023-24 stats) – G Julian Hammond III, 6-2, Sr. (7.4 ppg, 1.8 apg, .400 3%); G Javon Ruffin, 6-5, R-Jr. (2.1 ppg, 9 for 11 FT, career .337 3%); F Bangot Dak, 6-11, So. (1.7 ppg, 0.438% FG); F Assane Diop, 6-8, So. (1.3 ppg, 0.395 FG%); G RJ Smith, 6-3, R-So. (5 of 11 at 3 points in seven games); F Andrej Jakimovski, 6-8, Gr. (9.7 ppg, 5.6 RPG at Washington State).

REMARKS: One nuance of the Big 12’s broadcast partnership with ESPN is that games on ESPN+ will be produced by BuffVision, CU’s in-house media production company. That means CU’s regular radio team of Mark Johnson and Scott Wilke will handle the ESPN broadcast. Nate Kreckman will run the radio broadcast for the opener, but Jerry Schemmel is expected to handle the bulk of CU’s non-conference home schedule. … Already the program’s all-time leader in wins, Boyle enters his 15th season in Boulder with two wins to become the first men’s coach to reach 300 wins at CU. … The Buffs are 12-2 in season openers under Boyle and 14-0 in home openers. … Eastern Washington was picked sixth in the Big Sky preseason media poll and ninth in the coaches poll. … CU’s four-game home streak to start the season continues Friday against Northern Colorado (7 p.m., ESPN+).

Originally published: November 3, 2024 at 2:04 p.m. MST

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One Backcourt Duo Among Many With Much to Prove as CU Buffs Men’s Basketball Starts Season 24-25 – Boulder Daily Camera

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One Backcourt Duo Among Many With Much to Prove as CU Buffs Men’s Basketball Starts Season 24-25 – Boulder Daily Camera

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