Buffaloes gearing up to host Grace College in exhibition
- Matt Spivack
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team kicks off its 2025-26 season with an exhibition against the Grace College Lancers on Sunday.
The squad is coming off its worst season under head coach Tad Boyle, going 3-17 in the Big 12 and 14-21 overall last year.
Forwards Bangot Dak, Sebastian Rancik and center Elijah Malone are key returners from last year’s squad.
The Buffs hope to see these players continue to grow throughout the season, especially as
leaders.
“I look at guys like Bangot Dak, who was part of that 26-win team two years ago,” Boyle said. “He knows what that looks like. He knows what good leadership is.”
Boyle and his staff filled the rest of the roster with nine new faces, including seven freshmen, highlighted by sharpshooter Isaiah Johnson and Israeli Alon Michaeli. UC Riverside transfer Barrington Hargress also joined the squad in the offseason.
As a sophomore, Hargress led the Highlanders in minutes (32), points (20.2), assists (four) and steals (1.1) per game. The 6-foot guard brings leadership to a young Colorado guard room.
“Barrington brings some experience,” Boyle said. “ He’s got the ability to score the ball. He’s got toughness. He’s got grit.”
Johnson averaged 26.7 points, 5.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game as a senior for Campbell Hall High School. Upon his arrival in Boulder, the freshman has looked comfortable transitioning to collegiate basketball.
In the Buffs’ toughest exhibition Down Under, against the Australian national team, the California native led the team in points (19), shooting 60 percent from the field and 75 percent from deep, and was second on the team in plus-minus (+2) to Jalin Holland (+3).
“I see Isaiah Johnson as a freshman guard that I feel really comfortable with the ball in his hands,” Boyle said.
Michaeli was the last Buffalo added to the roster, causing him to miss most of the offseason and the Australia trip. The 6-foot-9 big man played professionally in Israel and competed for the U20 Israel National team. Michaeli led Israel in points (17.6) and rebounds (7.6) per game at the 2025 U20 FIBA EuroBasket.
With so many new faces, Boyle is still trying to assemble his starting five.
“We still have a long way to go,” Boyle said. “ We’ll start evaluating that probably in the last four to six practices.”
Colorado and Grace College have never matched up before, leaving both sides searching for a read on their opponent.
Despite suiting up for the Lancers for his first four years of collegiate ball, Malone recognizes the squad has changed.
“It’s a totally different team than when I was there,” Malone said. “So they’re going to have to adjust. It’s going to be a learning curve at tip-off.”
Only four players remain on the Lancers team that Malone played with: Ian Raasch, Gage Sefton, Caleb Herrold and Seth Martin. Raasch and Sefton started all 35 games for Grace College last season, combining for 29 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.8 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game.
The Lancers are hoping they can step up after losing their best player from last year, Ian Scott. The 6-foot-7 forward led the team in points (18.2), rebounds (8.2), steals (1.3), and blocks (1.9) per game, while being second in assists (4.3).
Recently, Grace College has been one of the most dominant programs at the NAIA level, ranking inside the top 10 in the coaches' final poll for the past three years.
Despite the differences in divisions, Colorado should not expect a cake walk and will have to bring its A-game to be pleased with the outcome.
The game tips off on Sunday at 12 pm MT at the CU Events Center.