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RFH 2010, Colgate Basketball

Raiders Set Hoops Sked

Fri, Sep 16, 2011

The Colgate men's basketball team will open its 2011-12 season with three straight road games, including two against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last year, before facing St. Francis (Pa.) in the home opener on Nov. 23.

“Our schedule is full of great challenges,” said new head coach Matt Langel. “Starting with three away games is never easy, but it will surely provide our eight upper class men a chance to establish their leadership of the team during that stretch away from Cotterell Court.”

The Raiders will travel to Binghamton (Nov. 12) to open the season, followed by a trip to Wisconsin (Nov. 15) and Syracuse (Nov. 19) before returning back to Hamilton to face the Red Flash. The Badgers finished the 2010-11 season with a 25-9 overall record and reached the Sweet 16 before falling to national runner-up Butler. The Orange finished last season 27-8 overall and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before falling to Marquette.

“We are grateful to have the chance to play against nationally recognized programs like Wisconsin and Syracuse.  Their players, coaches, and fans are some of the best in all of the NCAA,” said Langel. “When combined with the rest of our non-league schedule, these games will surely help to prepare us for Patriot League play.”   

Colgate will hit the road again for two more games against Marist (Nov. 26) and Fordham (Nov. 29), before welcoming Eastern Michigan (Dec. 1) to Cotterell Court.

After making a short trip over to Albany (Dec. 7), the Raiders will return home for a pair of games against St. Francis (N.Y.) (Dec. 10) and Dartmouth (Dec. 19), before heading to Hofstra (Dec. 22). Colgate will play one more home game against Quinnipiac (Dec. 28), before traveling to New Hampshire (Dec. 31).

The Raiders will open the New Year with a home game against Columbia (Jan. 4), before opening Patriot League play at American (Jan. 7) and Bucknell (Jan. 11). Both the Eagles and Bison were 20-game winners last season, as Bucknell won the Patriot League title to advance to the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 25-9 overall record.

Colgate has a two game home stand in January as the Raiders welcome in Navy (Jan. 21) followed by Lafayette (Jan. 25). After a non-conference trip to NJIT (Feb. 1) the Raiders host another two game home stand against American (Feb. 4) and Bucknell (Feb. 8). Colgate will also face Army (Feb. 15) at Cotterell Court, before closing out its home schedule against Holy Cross (Feb. 25). The Patriot League Tournament is set to begin in March.

This season, Colgate returns 10 letter winners from last year’s squad, while welcoming a pair of freshmen and one transfer to the lineup. Among the returners are four who earned all-Patriot League Rookie team honors. Seniors Yaw Gyawu and Mike Venezia along with junior Mitch Rolls and sophomore Pat Moore.

Last season Gyawu led the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game, while Venezia (9.6 ppg) and Rolls (8.5 ppg) were third and fourth, respectively. Rolls also dished out 107 assists, which was the most by a Raider since Dave Hardy handed out 120 during the 2002-03 season.

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