Pac-12 Basketball: UCLA, Oregon atop WTE offseason rankings for '22-23

Pac-12 Basketball: UCLA, Oregon atop WTE offseason rankings for 2022-23

By Joey Loose | Jun 5, 2022

Jan 25, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) moves the ball as guard Tyger Campbell (10) provides coverage against Arizona Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

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Pac-12 Basketball Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Colorado

Last year marked four straight years above .500 in conference play for the Buffaloes, but last year’s Colorado team didn’t quite live up to the expectations after an NCAA Tournament first-round win the year before. There are several moving parts on this roster and things will just a bit different next season.

A really young lineup has crumbled a bit, with Jabari Walker off to the Draft and Keeshawn Barthelemy joining conference rival Oregon. Their best-returning player is Tristan da Silva, a forward who averaged 9.4 points per game and will certainly have a more important role this season. The lineup is bolstered with the additions of Ethan Wright from Princeton and Jalen Gabbidon from Yale, but it’s hard not to wonder things could’ve turned out had those big pieces stayed in Boulder.

The Buffaloes have won at least 21 games each of the last four seasons; something they seem to have done quite quietly, especially in a Pac-12 that hasn’t exactly excelled in recent years. There’s still talent on this roster, but they lose two of their best players and might still not have their roster finalized. One thing’s for sure; the Buffaloes could be a surprise team if some of these younger players really develop, but their ceiling is lower than it could’ve been.

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