Silas Dismissed From Team

Sophomore guard Xavier Silas is no longer a member of the Colorado men’s basketball team, a spokesman for the team said Friday.

It had become apparent in recent weeks that head coach Jeff Bzdelik and sophomore guard Xavier Silas were not seeing eye to eye. On Friday, with the Buffs traveling to Missouri to play the Tigers on Saturday, Bzdelik announced that Silas is no longer on the team.

“In the best interest of the future of Colorado Basketball, I had to make a difficult decision and dismiss Xavier Silas from this team,” Bzdelik said in a press release. “We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Silas started 19 of the team’s 25 games this season. The 6-5 player was third in scoring for the Buffs, averaging 9.7 points per games. In 48 career games, Silas averaged 10.9 points per game, along with 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He will remain on scholarship through the end of the spring semester.

Silas released his own statement to the press late Friday afternoon: "I want to clearly state I have never had a problem academically or socially while at the University of Colorado or during my life time," he said. "I have no athletic eligibility issues or law enforcement arrests. I did not break any team rules or verbally abuse anyone in the basketball program or in the University of Colorado."

The sophomore also said, "My goal to continue playing Division I basketball, graduate from college, and compete at the next level remains strong. My future is in my hands now and I plan to make the most of it."

Silas is now the fifth member of CU’s 2006 recruiting class who is no longer on the team after Bzdelik took over prior to the 2007-08 season. Former classmates Kal Bay, James Inge, Sean Kowal and Marc VanBurck were either dismissed or told they would not see playing time and decided to transfer last summer.