The Buffs will host Providence in 2025
Tad Boyle and the Colorado Buffaloes will be eager to see some familiar faces when the Providence Friars come to town this fall as the first part of their home-and-home series.
The Friars are led by Kim English, one-time foe and long-time friend of the Colorado basketball program. An all-time great at Missouri, English moved up the coaching ranks working as an assistant at Tulsa before joining Boyle’s staff for two seasons.
English did great work in Boulder, helping develop the vaunted Class of 2017 that consisted of McKinley Wright, Tyler Bey, D’Shawn Schwartz and Evan Battey. The Buffs won 17 games in his first year, then 23 the next, and it was almost entirely internal growth that precipitated the jump.
English was soon poached by Tennessee, where he joined Rick Barnes’ staff for two seasons before being offered the George Mason job in 2021. During his time at UT, he and then-CU player development coach Nate Tomlinson managed to schedule their own home-and-home between the Buffs and Vols.
The connection was real between English and Tomlinson because the former CU captain joined his mate at George Mason and followed him to Providence. Melbourne’s finest is still on the Friars staff and will be making his first ever appearance at the Keg following his five years in Boulder.
Both Colorado and Providence are rebuilding their rosters this offseason as the two combined for a 16-41 record in 2024-25. Hopefully it will be a competitive game between quality squads, or else it will be a wholesome night of hugs between Boyle, English and Tomlinson.