Bzdelik optimistic about Buffaloes' chances this season

BOULDER • Jeff Bzdelik is a realist. Never one to candy coat matters during two-plus seasons coaching the Denver Nuggets, two seasons at Air Force and two years at Colorado, he remains one as he begins his third year with the Buffaloes.

“I understand how we can do all of these wonderful things, but the bottom line is to win,” Bzdelik said Friday. “We have to start turning the corner, I understand that. I’ve been around a long time and I understand what’s expected of me.”

Colorado has been a collective 21-42 in two seasons under Bzdelik. And 4-28 in the Big 12 Conference games.

Yet, Bzdelik willingly offered a glimpse of optimism as the Buffaloes prepare for the 2009-10 campaign.

“As we approach this year, I feel like we are poking our head up above the horizon, out of this deep hole that we dug ourselves into,” Bzdelik said. “I think we are going to be deeper, we are going to be stronger, we are going to be more mature and we are going to be a better basketball team.”

The team will be deeper, thanks in part to a recruiting class that Bzdelik feels will fill a number of holes. The class includes versatile Marcus Relphorde, guard Alec Burks, forward Keegan Hornbuckle and center Shane Harris-Tunks.

“He (Relphorde) is the one I expect the most out of,” Bzdelik said. “I expect more out of him because of his experience and maturity.”

He sees the infusion of these four as allowing him to rest top returning scorers Cory Higgins (17.4) and Dwight Thorne (12.0).

“Last year, Dwight and Cory played 36, 37, 38 minutes a game. They wore down,” Bzdelik said. “That won’t happen again this year.”

The scoring load could also be more balanced than last year when Higgins led the team in scoring 18 times.

“I think it’s a good thing,” Thorne said. “I think our efficiency might go up with reduced minutes because we’ll play harder longer.”

Another issue that Bzdelik has vowed to correct is the team’s rebounding deficiency. Colorado was outrebounded 24 times.

“Rebounding is a will and a want to and players understand if you don’t rebound the basketball, you won’t win,” Bzdelik said. “We work on it in practice.”

Early workouts have also indicated this will be a good shooting team.

Still, challenges remain for the Buffaloes, who remain a young team with only one senior.

“We face a difficult non-conference schedule coupled with what many consider to be the Big 12 at its very, very best in its history,” Bzdelik said. “We have to grow up fast.”

Higgins takes it a step farther.

“This has to be the year. There have been a lot of excuses for us the past two years,” Higgins said. “This year we have to get it done.”