Colorado’s men’s basketball team opens its exhibition slate Sunday against North Texas, and it comes with a fresh roster, a short runway to the regular season and a chance for several new faces to make an early impression.
The Buffaloes have turned over plenty of the roster, which has left expectations all over the map heading into the season. But this first open-door exhibition gives Colorado a real stage to show what the revamped group can do, and a few newcomers stand out as players who could seize the moment.
One of the biggest names to follow is Elijah Neely. He arrived from UNC Greensboro after a huge year in the Southern Conference and was Colorado’s most experienced offseason addition.
In 2025, Neely was the Spartans’ leader in points at 17.9 per game, rebounds at 11.5 per game, assists at 2.4 per game and steals at 0.9 per game. That rebounding number ranked second in the country, behind only Hannes Steinbach of the Washington Huskies, who was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Tad Boyle said during Winter Sports Media Day that Neely’s conditioning has come around after the coach pushed him throughout the summer.
“I finally feel like he’s in basketball shape,” said Boyle at Winter Sports Media Day. “I didn’t feel like that all summer, I didn’t feel like that for the first part of the fall. But I feel like we’ve really worked him and he’s answered the challenges that I’ve given him … he’s starting to figure that out I think.”
Boyle views Neely as a strong combo forward, and Sunday should offer a first look at how well that versatility translates in a Colorado uniform.
Another newcomer drawing plenty of attention is Aleks Dickeson, one of two freshmen Colorado added from the NBL in Australia. Boyle has been especially high on what he brings as a passer.
“He’s the best passing guard I’ve ever coached,” Boyle said. “He’s an elite-level passer.
Now … it’s going to take some time for his body to develop into the ultimate player that he’ll be. But his feel for the game … he’s wise beyond his years, he’s mature beyond his years, he understands the game, he sees the game and he’s got a feel for the game.”
Dickeson has been working with guard Barrington Hargress as he learns to handle point guard duties at the Big 12 level. With more opportunities likely in this exhibition than he’ll get in many other games, Colorado fans should get a useful first glimpse of what Boyle believes he has in him.
Then there’s Sebastian Gomez, who finally looks ready to get on the floor after a long injury layoff. He dealt with stress fractures in his foot just two games into his freshman year at Charlotte, and that injury shut down his season. After transferring to Colorado, he still wasn’t fully recovered, missed all of the Buffs’ summer workouts and practices, and didn’t get back into fall practice until the start of October.
Boyle said Friday that Gomez has a good presence and a strong feel for the game, even if he’s still behind because of all the time he missed.
“He’s a great kid, he’s got a great spirit, he’s a great teammate,” said Boyle on Friday. “But he’s playing catch-up, there’s no doubt about it … But he’s a smart and experienced player for a guy that hasn’t played a lot of college basketball because of his international experience.”
The native of Alcala de Guadaira, Spain, has reportedly looked sharp since returning to practice. His broad frame and long reach make him an imposing presence inside, and while he still needs to improve on going up with two hands on rebounds, his scoring touch has stayed intact.
Sunday’s matchup won’t settle everything about Colorado’s season, but it should tell the first real story of what this retooled group might become.
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