The future of a Colorado men’s basketball team trying to rebound from a last-place finish in the Big 12 already is in Boulder.

Still, coach Tad Boyle’s Buffaloes added a valuable reinforcement on national signing day on Wednesday, adding Rider Portela to the mix for the 2026 recruiting class.

In an ode to the confidence he has in this year’s seven-player freshman class, along with a roster set to lose just one player to expiring eligibility, Boyle is bucking a recent trend by not over-signing.

Boyle has said repeatedly since practice opened in late September he intends to keep the core of the 2025-26 roster intact next year. Portela will fill the spot currently held by sixth-year center Elijah Malone, but beyond that, any gaps heading into the offseason will be filled via the spring/sum

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