There is little doubt Tad Boyle will use the results of his league’s preseason poll as a motivating ploy a little more frequently than previous seasons.

That’s understandable, as the Buffaloes were picked 15th in the 16-team Big 12 Conference in a vote by the league coaches. But it seems Boyle may not have to say much about the matter to sophomore forward Assane Diop.

Diop pretty much was fighting mad when he heard where the Buffs were slotted. As a player expecting to fill a larger role in his second season in the program, Diop plans to try to do something about it.

“I feel like we have to take that as motivation, and saying that it’s an insult on us,” Diop said. “What are they thinking? We have great players on our team. We’ve got people that can defend. People that can shoot. We’ve got great length. I don’t know what they’re thinking when they’re doing that. Whatever they say. We’re here working our (butts) off and just plan to surprise the world when we get out.”

Diop played in 32 games off the bench last season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per game. His playing time dwindled down the stretch, though, and he didn’t play in the final four games after getting off the bench for every previous game in which he was available (Diop missed one game due to injury).

The versatile 6-foot-8 Diop has worked to improve his shooting touch — he shot .395 overall last year and went 0-for-9 on 3-pointers — going into CU’s season opener on Monday at home against Eastern Washington (7 p.m., ESPN+).

“I think this year is way better, confidence-wise and understanding the plays and where to be on the court,” Diop said. “Last year it was hard because, one, it’s not my language. And the second thing is, I was a freshman. I’ve never done anything like that. Other teams that I been on, it’s been around me. But here, you do it as a team. But from the end of last year, I knew I’d do better this year.”

Next level

Derrick White is the gold standard for every Division II player taking a shot at the next level. Yet there is a long list of other former Division II players who have fared well at the next level in recent years, including former Colorado State players Patrick Cartier and Joel Scott. New CU forward Trevor Baskin, last year’s RMAC player of the year at Colorado Mesa, has been taking notes.

Baskin competed against Scott in the RMAC when Scott was at Black Hills State.

Two of Baskin’s former Mesa teammates who are Colorado natives, Mac Riniker and former CU walk-on Owen Koonce, are playing Division I this season at Cal Poly.

“I was familiar with Joel Scott. A little too familiar. We’re good buddies, but I hated playing against him,” Baskin said. “Everyone always brings up Derrick White. I’d love to be the next Derrick White. He won a gold medal, an NBA champion. Obviously you have goals like that, but you can’t just throw that word out there. You’ve got to earn it first. I’m excited to see how Division II can represent at the next level, and I just want to try to be one of those guys.”

Notable

One of Diop’s classmates at Accelerated Prep in Lakewood, Baye Fall, also is joining the Big 12 this season as a newcomer at Kansas State. Fall spent his freshman season at Arkansas, appearing in nine games. … It took until game four for former CU wing Cody Williams to break into the Utah Jazz starting lineup, as he made his first career start in Tuesday’s loss against Sacramento that dropped the Jazz to 0-4. Williams responded with his highest scoring total of his first four games (nine points), but through the 0-4 start he has shot just 5-for-18 overall and 3-for-12 on 3-pointers.