Buffs To Play Australian Boomers On Foreign Tour
June 16, 2025 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Colorado men's basketball, preparing for a trip of a lifetime, has added a marquee opponent to its travel itinerary.
The Buffaloes are set to play the Australian Boomers, Australia's Men's National Team, on July 31 at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre during Colorado's foreign tour, which runs from July 23 through Aug. 5.
Allowed every four years by the NCAA, the Buffaloes will play four exhibition games during their time overseas, with this contest being the first released competition. Game dates, times, and opponents for the other three will be released at a later date.
The tour takes place at an ideal time for Colorado, which currently has seven newcomers on its roster, including five freshmen in its incoming recruiting class ranked in the nation's Top 40 by both Rivals and 247Sports.com.
It will be a unique opportunity for fans in Australia to catch NBA, NBL, and NCAA stars on the same court as the Boomers prepare to defend their FIBA Asia Cup title in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in August.
"The one thing about Australian basketball is that there's a lot of pride," Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "There are a lot of good players who have come to the United States to play college basketball, who are in the NBA from that country, and the Boomers are their team. And one thing I've learned, not only about international basketball competition but specifically about Australia, is that there's a lot of national pride. And so, when you put on that Boomers uniform as an Australian, it means something, and those guys play like it means something to them.
"So it'll be a heck of a challenge for us, heck of an opportunity for us to get better. You want to play against the best, so we're trying to do that. We are really fortunate and happy to have this opportunity."
The Australian vs. USA college basketball exchange has exploded in the last decade, benchmarked in the 2024-25 Season with a total of 232 Aussies enrolled across NCAA men's & women's programs.
Former Pac-12 Champion Nate Tomlinson, who rejoined the coaching staff this week, is a native of Sydney and played for the Australian national program, competing at the 2009 World University Games and the 2007 U19 World Championships. After graduating in 2012, he played professionally for six seasons for Melbourne United of the NBL.
There are two current Australians on Colorado's women's basketball roster. Victorian forward Tabitha Betson is a rising sophomore and will be joined by Centre of Excellence graduate Jade Crook for the upcoming season. Two other CoE graduates spent time at CU in recent years, Melbournian Sara-Rose Smith and current Sydney Flames guard Emma Clarke.
Gold Coast is a destination location for sports & entertainment and will host events for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The featured game reinforces the commitment to world class events held on the Gold Coast.
"It doesn't get any bigger than this – the Boomers on court against the Colorado Buffaloes,'' said Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor.
"This week-long program underscores our city's commitment to bring the best events and the biggest sports experiences to the coast.
"Every basketball enthusiast will want to be courtside for the friendly match as well as the chance to be up close with the current crop of Boomers talent. It's showtime on the Gold Coast.''
Colorado men's basketball season tickets are on sale now at https://cubuffs.evenue.net/events/MBS. The deadline for current season ticket holders to renew their seats for the 2025-26 season is Tuesday, July 8. Renew online here or call our season ticket hotline at 303-492-8282.
QUOTES FROM BOOMERS HEAD COACH ADAM CAPORN: "I couldn't be more excited to return to Australia and get on the floor with the group. I see the Asia Cup as a critical first step in building our system and re-establishing the Boomers' culture."
"Representing Australia is an honor and a privilege, and our focus will always be on competing in a way that makes our country proud and gives us the best chance for success."
"A high-level NCAA program like Colorado will undoubtedly present a valuable challenge and an important early benchmark for us as we prepare for the Asia Cup. The energy, athleticism, and discipline of an elite college team will push us to pressure-test our system under game conditions. It's a great opportunity to begin sharpening our identity against quality opposition. Having previously worked in college basketball, I've seen a lot of strong Colorado teams under Coach Boyle. His teams are consistently disciplined on the defensive end and always ready to compete. We're grateful to CU for contributing to our preparation, and we look forward to having them on the Gold Coast in July."
The Buffaloes are set to play the Australian Boomers, Australia's Men's National Team, on July 31 at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre during Colorado's foreign tour, which runs from July 23 through Aug. 5.
Allowed every four years by the NCAA, the Buffaloes will play four exhibition games during their time overseas, with this contest being the first released competition. Game dates, times, and opponents for the other three will be released at a later date.
The tour takes place at an ideal time for Colorado, which currently has seven newcomers on its roster, including five freshmen in its incoming recruiting class ranked in the nation's Top 40 by both Rivals and 247Sports.com.
It will be a unique opportunity for fans in Australia to catch NBA, NBL, and NCAA stars on the same court as the Boomers prepare to defend their FIBA Asia Cup title in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in August.
"The one thing about Australian basketball is that there's a lot of pride," Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "There are a lot of good players who have come to the United States to play college basketball, who are in the NBA from that country, and the Boomers are their team. And one thing I've learned, not only about international basketball competition but specifically about Australia, is that there's a lot of national pride. And so, when you put on that Boomers uniform as an Australian, it means something, and those guys play like it means something to them.
"So it'll be a heck of a challenge for us, heck of an opportunity for us to get better. You want to play against the best, so we're trying to do that. We are really fortunate and happy to have this opportunity."
The Australian vs. USA college basketball exchange has exploded in the last decade, benchmarked in the 2024-25 Season with a total of 232 Aussies enrolled across NCAA men's & women's programs.
Former Pac-12 Champion Nate Tomlinson, who rejoined the coaching staff this week, is a native of Sydney and played for the Australian national program, competing at the 2009 World University Games and the 2007 U19 World Championships. After graduating in 2012, he played professionally for six seasons for Melbourne United of the NBL.
There are two current Australians on Colorado's women's basketball roster. Victorian forward Tabitha Betson is a rising sophomore and will be joined by Centre of Excellence graduate Jade Crook for the upcoming season. Two other CoE graduates spent time at CU in recent years, Melbournian Sara-Rose Smith and current Sydney Flames guard Emma Clarke.
Gold Coast is a destination location for sports & entertainment and will host events for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The featured game reinforces the commitment to world class events held on the Gold Coast.
"It doesn't get any bigger than this – the Boomers on court against the Colorado Buffaloes,'' said Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor.
"This week-long program underscores our city's commitment to bring the best events and the biggest sports experiences to the coast.
"Every basketball enthusiast will want to be courtside for the friendly match as well as the chance to be up close with the current crop of Boomers talent. It's showtime on the Gold Coast.''
Colorado men's basketball season tickets are on sale now at https://cubuffs.evenue.net/events/MBS. The deadline for current season ticket holders to renew their seats for the 2025-26 season is Tuesday, July 8. Renew online here or call our season ticket hotline at 303-492-8282.
QUOTES FROM BOOMERS HEAD COACH ADAM CAPORN: "I couldn't be more excited to return to Australia and get on the floor with the group. I see the Asia Cup as a critical first step in building our system and re-establishing the Boomers' culture."
"Representing Australia is an honor and a privilege, and our focus will always be on competing in a way that makes our country proud and gives us the best chance for success."
"A high-level NCAA program like Colorado will undoubtedly present a valuable challenge and an important early benchmark for us as we prepare for the Asia Cup. The energy, athleticism, and discipline of an elite college team will push us to pressure-test our system under game conditions. It's a great opportunity to begin sharpening our identity against quality opposition. Having previously worked in college basketball, I've seen a lot of strong Colorado teams under Coach Boyle. His teams are consistently disciplined on the defensive end and always ready to compete. We're grateful to CU for contributing to our preparation, and we look forward to having them on the Gold Coast in July."
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