The entire gang won’t be back together next week in Las Vegas.

Yet in terms of the future of the Colorado men’s basketball team, Buffaloes fans should be encouraged by the roster set to compete in the inaugural College Basketball Crown.

On Friday, more than two weeks since the Buffs were eliminated by Houston in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament, they reconvened for practice for the first time ahead of Tuesday’s first-round date against Villanova at the MGM Grand in the FOX-backed CBC (6:30 p.m. MT, FS1).

After the Buffs began working off their rust, head coach Tad Boyle updated his program’s personnel situation, saying he believes this week’s transfer portal departures of Courtney Anderson and Harrison Carrington to the be only losses among CU’s underclassmen.

That means the core of youngsters that started to turn a corner toward the end of the regular season and in the Big 12 tournament — RJ Smith, Felix Kossaras, Sebastian Rancik, Assane Diop and Bangot Dak — all are expected to return next season, joined by a talented five-player recruiting class that arrives this summer.

Freshman Andrew Crawford, the former standout at ThunderRidge High School who redshirted this season, is expected to return as well.

The list of returnees also includes center Elijah Malone, who is planning to return for a sixth collegiate season after a blanket NCAA waiver issued earlier this year granted an additional season of eligibility for former junior college and NAIA players.

Although Carrington is headed to the portal, he plans to suit up for the Buffs next week in Vegas. Anderson will not.

“That’s all I’m expecting right now, that’s for sure,” Boyle said of the portal departures. “I had my meetings with these guys. One thing about being a college basketball coach in the spring is you can’t be surprised about anything. But I’ve talked to every player and feel I have a feel for where they are and where we are. I don’t expect anybody else departing.”

The Buffs still are expected to play the CBC without starting point guard Julian Hammond III, who played through a back injury during the final week of the regular season as well as at the Big 12 tournament. Boyle also said Rancik, who suffered a knee injury during CU’s loss against Houston in the Big 12 quarterfinals on March 13, will not play in Vegas.

With Anderson also out, the Buffs will take just nine active/healthy scholarship players to Vegas in Dak, Diop, Malone, Carrington, Smith, Kossaras, Javon Ruffin, Trevor Baskin and Andrej Jakimovski.

Assuming the Buffs suffer no further unexpected departures, Boyle will have to sign just one new addition out of the transfer portal this spring. CU’s head coach reiterated on Friday the plan is to remain at 13 scholarships, even with rosters set to expand to 15.

“I’m very encouraged, very excited about the players coming back and the players coming in,” Boyle said.