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Colorado’s head coach had kind words for CSU’s current star ahead of the Rams’ tournament run

Once a Buff, you’re always a Buff.

Colorado head basketball coach Tad Boyle made that very clear, offering praise to former Buffaloes guard and current Colorado State standout Nique Clifford ahead of the Rams’ NCAA Tournament.

“I’m really proud of Nique,” Boyle said during his Tuesday presser. “He’s having the career and the year that we thought he could have when we recruited him out of Colorado Springs, he just finished it at Colorado State.”

Clifford began his college career with the Buffs in 2020 after Boyle recruited him out of The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs. After seeing limited playtime as a freshman, Clifford saw more and more minutes and responsibility the following two seasons, as he averaged over 20 minutes and roughly 6 points per game in 68 total games.

Everyone in Boulder saw the potential in Nique, but something was missing in Boulder and it became apparent that he needed a change of scenery. Clifford made the choice to move 60 miles north to Fort Collins to play for Nico Medved’s CSU Rams. It was a move that would give him more playtime, a larger role and offer a fresh start for a quiet kid.

Clifford broke out of his mold in 2023-24, averaging 12.2 points per game while playing second fiddle to Lamar Stevens on a tournament bound CSU. His combination of tools and production was enough to get drafted last year, but he stayed another year to be the guy for Medved. That’s proven a wise decision, as Clifford has become a full fledged superstar in his fifth year of college basketball.

Clifford has truly come into his own. He’s averaging 19 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. The forever Buff was named first-team All-MWC after carrying CSU to 11 wins in their last 12 games, including a conference championship and tournament MVP for the Colorado kid.

Clifford will play in the NBA next year, but it took him a long time to get to this point. Boyle said that he has Nique’s stats from 2022-23 in Boulder written on his whiteboard in his office and that he made sure all his returning players saw it. College basketball isn’t easy and it can take a while to find your groove, just as Clifford did, but it’s a lesson that he found important to relay to his players.

“[Nique’s journey] reaffirms to me that it’s a process,” Boyle said. “It took Nique Clifford five years to have this year and it doesn’t happen after one year or two years, sometimes even after three years.”

Boyle added that the decision to bring in five-star recruit Cody Williams in 2023 played a large factor in Clifford’s choice to move to Fort Collins, but that there’s no bad blood between the two sides. He added that his players will be hearing the “Nique Clifford story” from now on, along with the several other Colorado greats who have succeeded and made it to the NBA.

“Our players have heard the Derrick White story,” Boyle said. “They've heard the Jabari Walker story, the Spencer Dinwiddie story and all the other stories that we have to tell in our recruiting process. Now, what our players need to understand and hear is that you can still get to where you want to get. It’s just going to take some time and you have to respect the process.”

Although Clifford is a textbook transfer portal success story, Boyle made sure to emphasize that transferring isn’t always the best choice for player development. For as many stories as there are about success in the portal, there are just as many about players who would’ve been better staying put.

“In today’s world, those kids see that exit sign and it’s blinking pretty darn loud for them,” Boyle said. “They’re hitting [the portal] a lot quicker and faster than they used to. I’m trying to slow it down a little bit. You’ve gotta put in the time and the effort. The grass may sometimes look greener. Sometimes it may be, but many times it’s not.”

There’s a lot to learn from Nique Clifford and his five years in college basketball, namely patience and trusting the process. But Boyle wants to make sure his players are taking the right message away from it, not that transferring will turn you into a better player.

“Nique Clifford is a great story,” Boyle said. “How many guys have transferred and it hasn’t worked out?”

by RylandScholes
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Colorado will play Gonzaga in Boulder next Sunday

Sure, the WBIT might be a consolation prize for the Colorado Buffaloes, but it didn’t look like it at the CU Event Center on Thursday evening.

The Buffs were motivated and ready to roll in their first-round matchup with the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions, handling business with a 73-41 win.

You’d be hard-pressed to ask the Buffaloes for a better start than they had against SLU, as they came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. Colorado properly utilized their size advantage over the Lady Lions to have their way in the low post, along with shooting well from beyond the arc.

After back-to-back three-pointers from Kindyll Wetta and Lior Garzon, the Buffs roared out to a quick eight-point advantage, which they’d maintain for the remainder of the quarter, leading 17-9 heading into the second.

The second quarter proved to be more of the same. CU started the period by going on a quick 13-2 run to give themselves a nice, cushy lead. Colorado continued picking on SLU’s tiny guards (both starters are 5-foot-5 or shorter) as Grace Oliver decided to get in on the three-point action, cashing in for one of her own and five points in the quarter.

Despite seven straight turnovers and some questionable calls in the minutes before halftime, Colorado’s steady shooting proved to be too much for the Lady Lions to handle, as they took a 33-20 lead into the break with no intention of slowing their roll.

Colorado’s third quarter could’ve been better, coughing the ball up six times. Thankfully, when you cannot miss from the floor, turnovers are easy to overcome. Led by Garzon and Nyamer Diew, Colorado went 7-10 from the floor, putting the nail in Southeastern Louisiana’s coffin early. After building a hefty 30-point lead in the early fourth quarter, the Buffaloes coasted to the finish line.

Colorado’s win was powered by four double-digit scoring performances from Garzon (18 pts), Masagayo (15 pts), Oliver (12 pts) and Wetta (12 pts). The Buffs finished the contest shooting 25-44 (56.8 %) from the floor, despite their 19 total turnovers.

Next up for Colorado will be the four-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in Boulder next Sunday at 1:00 pm in the second round of the WBIT. Make sure to pack the stands so our Buffs have the best chance of moving on to the quarterfinals. Tickets are on sale now.

by RylandScholes
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Who’s next, David Garrard? Other Jacksonville Players?

Look, apparently I’ve been out of the NFL game too long. I remember Byron Leftwich the Jacksonville quarterback. I remember him sandwiched between Mark Brunell and David Garrard. I remember him throwing to Jimmy Smith and handing off to Fred Taylor. Why do I know so much about the Jags?

Well, I guess that guy also won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As an offensive coordinator. That’s awesome. Since then, he’s bounced around the NFL as a coach. Like many wayward NFL stars, he has now found a home in Boulder working for Coach Prime.

Byron Leftwich’s role on the staff hasn’t really been made clear. It appears that there’s a clear opening for him at QB coach. Obviously, having Leftwich as a QB coach, with Pat Shurmur at offensive coordinator, is a pretty overqualified offensive staff. These are resources that are only available to a team coached by Deion Sanders. This is a competitive advantage over every other program in the Big 12. Kaidon Salter and JuJu Lewis are in a great position for the 2025 football season.

by Jack Barsch
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Jack, Sam and Ryland give their predictions and bracket picls.

While the Colorado Buffaloes didn’t stand much of a chance at getting into the NCAA Tournament, it doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with March Madness over here at Ralphie Report dot com.

Let’s start with something easy — which region was the most difficult for you to fill out?​

Ryland: Probably the West Region. There are some sneaky good teams in there. Colorado State and our old friend Nique Clifford are white-hot right now, while Bennett Stirtz and Drake could give Mizzou all they can handle.

Sam: The West is brutal. All my favorite seeds are there. I have the Gators as champs and it’s tough since both St. John’s and Texas Tech would be in my Final Four if they were in other regions. I’m also sad to have Maryland lose earlier than I want, as Derik Queen might be my favorite player in the country. Then there’s UConn, CSU and Drake, all of whom could crash the Sweet Sixteen and it wouldn’t surprise.

Jack: West. Every team is FUN AS HELL. Missouri might be the most fun team in the country. Dennis Gates supremacy! They run fast, they shoot the light out and Tamar Bates is Tad Boyle as it gets. AND YOU HAVE ST. JOHNS? If they play each other, that will be 40 minutes of hell.

Do you have any upset picks screaming out to you? Or any upsets that seem too easy or popular?​

Ryland: 12-seed Colorado State upsetting five-seed Memphis is something that seems inevitable. Without Tyrese Hunter, that Tigers team looks vulnerable and Nique Clifford could pick them apart. I also like Drake upsetting Mizzou and I’m taking a flyer on UC San Diego to beat Michigan.

Sam: UC San Diego might be the answer to both. The Tritons slow the pace, hit threes and draw fouls, and they generally win the possession game by forcing lots of turnovers. That’s the formula for an upset or two. That is, if they can control the game when they’re at a size and athleticism disadvantage, which Michigan poses with Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.

Jack: Agree with what Sam said. UC San Diego is going to be a fun one. However, I think Louisville has a great shot at upsetting Auburn if they get there. The Cardinals play some fun basketball, and Forever Buff J’Vonne Hadley is balling out for them right now. Louisville has shot makers and they play in your face. If they knock out Auburn, that side of the bracket is wide open.

Which of the 1- or 2-seeds seems most vulnerable?​

Ryland: Duke without Cooper Flagg. After getting carted off in a wheelchair after the ACC Tournament due to injury (not a Paul Pierce situation), his status for the Big Dance is unclear. If Flagg can suit up and play for the Blue Devils, they’re undoubtedly a top-three team in the nation. If not, Jon Scheyer and company could be on upset alert for the foreseeable future.

Sam: Is Michigan State even good? Everything I read says they’re elite on defense but have a hard time scoring the basketball. They can’t shoot, don’t really care take of the ball, and most of their tough shots go to Jaden Atkins and his sub-40 field goal percentage. And yet they seem poised for an Elite Eight run with an injured Iowa State and a mid Ole Miss in their bracket.

Jack: Yes, MSU is good, ugh. So sick of Sam. MSU is going to win the whole goddamn thing. They play tough perimeter defense and have old guard. Ugh.

However, my pick is Alabama. High-variance, man. High. Variance. Lot of threes. High pace. Mark Sears is a good backstop, but I’m always worried about them if the threes aren’t falling. Grant Nelson, very good, but also, say they play Saint Mary’s. That pace is so slow it hurts to watch, let alone play against. Can Alabama capitalize on limited possessions enough? I don’t know man.

Which team do you feel irresponsibly confident in?​

Ryland: Texas Tech. In only his second year in Lubbock, Grant McCasland has turned that team into a buzzsaw. When it clicks for them, it really clicks. JT Toppin can take over games and players like Darrion Williams and Chance McMillian compliment him perfectly.

Sam: Before Jack wrote anything, I wrote (and deleted, then wrote again) the Auburn Tigers are going to collapse in the second round and Johni Broome will be outplayed by our favorite son J’Vonne Hadley. I feel this in my bones and nothing to back it

Jack: I already said it above. MISSOURI, BABY. Old, tested, fun as hell, and they have that coveted spurtability that everyone wants. They’ve had an up and down season, but Dennis Gates is a star coach, imo, and their type of ball translates. Tamar Bates season.

Which mid-major are you most excited to see play? How far can they go?​

Ryland: UC San Diego. That team is FUN. If you haven’t watched the Tritons play this season, that’s your loss. They’ve got two players, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones and Tyler McGhie, who can score like nobody’s business. If they can successfully turn games into a track race, I could see them making a Sweet Sixteen run. Oh, and they play elite defense too.

Sam: Besides than the Tritons, the New Mexico Lobos play helter skelter basketball and their matchup with Marquette is a must-watch for the sickos. I’m also excited to see Liberty lose in the first round, even if it’s to Oregon.

Jack: Well, Will Wade just announced he’s take the NC State job in public. And to his team. Before the tournament starts. Wild stuff, but if he plays that right, I’m excited to see how hard McNeese plays in their “last ride” together. That time already plays chaotic, and it’s possible this is a nice catalyst.

Who’s your breakout star in this tournament? (You can do a high, middle and lower-seed if you want)​

Ryland: My high-seed hero is going to have to be Texas Tech’s JT Toppin. That dude can ball. I’ll go with Illinios’ Kasparas Jakucionus for my mid-seed hero. With my low-seed hero, I’ll pick Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones of UC San Diego.

Sam: Go west young man, and find Walter Clayton and Kadary Richmond battling in the Elite Eight, or else Derik Queen pivoting his way to an upset win, and Nique Clifford making us all proud. (St. Mary’s isn’t in the West, but they are West, and I love Augustus Marciulionas.)

Jack: Derik Queen! He’s the best. Sam and I agree on this. Queen is a star basketball player and he’s not built like a lot of freshman I know. Maryland will ride him to the promised land. I also love Otega Oweh at Kentucky. Give me a guard that gets to the bucket at will. So fun to watch a good driver in college.

Who’s the next cult hero to emerge?​

Ryland: Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones has Jack Gohlke written all over him.

Sam: I got Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin, whose pudgy build and curly frat hair make him perfectly cast for cult status.

Jack: BYU’s Richie Saunders, who is easily the most hateable player in basketball if he doesn’t play so goddamn hard. Man, does he play hard. You’re gonna see him diving for loose balls heading into every single commercial break in slow motion.

What are we going to remember this tournament for?​

Ryland: Either SEC dominance or SEC fraud watch. With a record-breaking 14 teams making it to the dance, I don’t think there’s any in-between. We are about to learn if all that football money can turn the SEC into a basketball powerhouse, or if Big 12 hoops still reign supreme.

Sam: As Ryland pointed out, football resources might have taken over basketball. All those SEC favorites are loaded with veteran players, many of whom were paid top dollar in the portal. The SEC has depth the Big 12 can’t afford, they play a style the Big Ten can’t keep pace with, and they might be too athletic and too experienced for early upsets.

Jack: Izzo’s retirement after they win the championship.

Last one: Leave your Final Four and National Champs.​

Ryland: My final four are Auburn, Texas Tech, Alabama and Houston. I have Auburn beating the Coogs to hoist the natty.

Sam: A bit chalky, I have Florida, Alabama, Houston and then Texas A&M taking Auburn’s spot in the Final Four, then the Gators over Coogs in the national title.

Jack: I’m also chalk as hell. Florida, Michigan State, Duke, Tennessee. Michigan State beats Duke for the national championship after Tom Izzo’s son dunks on Cooper Flagg.

by Sam Metivier
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From Denver to Gibraltar, from Okey to Supreme, the Big Dance has it all.

There’s no methodology to this bracket, really. I just pulled each team’s basketball-reference pages and found my favorite name. Many of these names are deeply American, some of them a glimmer into the family’s past (whatcha doing in Argentina, Maximo Milovich?) and some of them are named Supreme Cook.

First, here are the regions with each team’s representative. After that, I’ll have the bracket filled out with no explanations for who won each bracket. I do want to apologize because some of these names aren’t good at all, but it’s not my fault Missouri has such boring names when Casmir Chavis and Ven-Allen Lubin were snubbed.

South Region

1. Denver Jones (Auburn) vs. 16. Jerquarius Stanback (Alabama State)
2. Gehrig Normand (Michigan State) vs. 15. Frankie Vassalluzzo (Bryant)
3. Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State) vs. 14. Grant Asman (Lipscomb)
4. Zhuric Phelps (Texas A&M) vs. 13. Jeannot Basima (Yale)
5. Phat Phat Brooks (Michigan) vs. 12. Maximo Milovich (UC San Diego)
6. Jaemyn Brakefield (Ole Miss) vs. 11. Tyzhaun Claude (North Carolina)
7. Ben Gold (Marquette) vs. 10. Atiki Ally Atiki (New Mexico)
8. Aidan McCool (Louisville) vs. 9. Jackson McAndrew (Creighton)

East Region

1. Kon Knueppel (Duke) vs. 16. Gibraltar Coleman (American)
2. Labaron Philon (Alabama) vs. 15. Antallah Sandlin’El (Robert Morris)
3. Jack Janiki (Wisconsin) vs. 14. Money Williams (Montana)
4. Luke Champion (Arizona) vs. 13. Rich Brisco (Akron)
5. Supreme Cook (Oregon) vs. 12. Kai Yu (Liberty)
6. Townsend Tripple (BYU) vs. 11. Alphonzo Billups III (VCU)
7. Andrew McKeever (St. Mary’s) vs. 10. Devin McGlockton (Vanderbilt)
8. Kanye Clary (Mississippi State) vs. 9. Norchad Omier (Baylor)

West Region

1. Urban Klavzar (Florida) vs. 16. Sin’cere McMahon (Norfolk State)
2. Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s) vs. 15. Valentino Simon (Omaha)
3. Federiko Federiko (Texas Tech) vs. 14. Khamari McGriff (UNC Wilmington)
4. Selton Miguel (Maryland) vs. 13. Styles Phipps (Grand Canyon)
5. Dain Dainja (Memphis) vs. 12. Bowen Born (Colorado State)
6. T.O. Barrett (Missouri) vs. 11. Joey Matteoni (Drake)
7. Rakease Passmore (Kansas) vs. 10. Boogie Fland (Arkansas)
8. Solo Ball (UConn) vs. Kobe Elvis (Oklahoma)

Midwest Region

1. Ja’Vier Francis (Houston) vs. 16. Cham Okey (SIUE)
2. Darlinstone Dubar (Tennessee) vs. 15. Kyler Filewich (Wofford)
3. Ansley Almonor (Kentucky) vs. 14. Randarius Jones (Troy)
4. Fletcher Loyer (Purdue) vs. 13. Kezza Giffa (High Point)
5. Chauncey Wiggins (Clemson) vs. 12. Quadir Copeland (McNeese)
6. Ben Humrichous (Illinois) vs. 11. Dailyn Swan (Xavier) or Ze’Rik Onyema (Texas)
7. Lazar Stefanovic (UCLA) vs. 10. Aubin Gateretse (Utah State)
8. Dusty Stromer (Gonzaga) vs. 9. Blue Cain (Georgia)

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Here’s the final bracket:



by Sam Metivier
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