Colorado balancing youth with experience; UC Davis up next

Colorado has started the season on a roll and wants to keep it going when it hosts UC Davis on Friday night in Boulder, Colo.

Colorado (4-0) has swept its early home schedule, including wins in the past week over Providence and Alabama State. Friday night's game will be the last at home before the Buffaloes travel to Palm Springs, Calif., for the Acrisure Holiday Classic next week.

Colorado has relied on a young group, led by freshman Isaiah Johnson (16.5 points per game), sophomore Sebastian Rancik (14.8) and freshman Alon Michaeli (13.7), but the Buffaloes also have a veteran presence.

Elijah Malone, a graduate student, has put up 9.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game thus far. Barrington Hargress is averaging 12 points in four games and junior Bangot Dak (10.5 ppg, team-high 7.8 rpg) is an anchor defensively. He is averaging 1.5 blocks per game and had three blocks to go with 16 points in the win over Alabama State on Monday night.

"I've been struggling offensively, so if I get myself going defensively, I can get myself going offensively," Dak said.

UC Davis (4-1) is coming off an impressive 76-71 win at Nevada on Tuesday night, led by Nils Cooper's 26 points. Cooper (18.5 ppg) is one of four Aggies averaging double figures in scoring; Connor Sevilla (17.0), Isaiah Chappell (10.8) and Marcus Wilson (10.0) are right behind him.

Cooper has made a big leap from last season when he averaged just 3.9 points in 30 games, but overall depth is vital to UC Davis. Head coach Jim Les has spread out the minutes, with no one averaging more than Cooper's 29.8 a game and seven players logging at least 23.4.

"Part of that focus for us in the offseason was not only building our talent level but building our depth so we can play the style of play that requires a lot of energy, a lot of aggressiveness so we can go deeper into the bench," Les said earlier this season.

--Field Level Media