Colorado State University Athletics
Game notes: CSU opens NIT Season Tip-Off vs. SMU
11/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2011
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Colorado State vs. SMU | Game 2 | Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off |
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| CSU STATISTICAL LEADERS | SMU STATISTICAL LEADERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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• Schedule/Results
• Season Statistics
• NIT Season Tip-Off Bracket
Opening tip
• Colorado State heads to Palo Alto, Calif., for the regional rounds of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off at Stanford's Maples Pavilion, Monday and Tuesday.
• The Rams open the tournament on Monday night against Conference USA foe, SMU. Tipoff between the Rams and the Mustangs is set for 6 p.m. MT.
• The seventh-seeded Rams then face either future Mountain West member Fresno State, or host and third-seeded Stanford the following night at either 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. MT.
• CSU's second-round matchup, regardless of time, will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
Rams in the NIT Season Tip-Off
• This week marks the Rams' third appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off event.
• The Rams previously played in the event in 1991 and 2006, posting a 1-3 record all-time in the tournament.
• In the 1991 NIT Season Tip-Off, the Rams opened with a victory at Boise State (W, 80-67) before falling at No. 23 Georgia Tech (L, 84-67) two days later.
• The Rams finished 0-2 in the 2006 event in Spokane, Wash., losing in overtime, 87-82, to Baylor and dropping a 70-61 decision to Rice.
Rams' success in regular-season tournaments
• Colorado State has enjoyed great success in regular-season tournament play under fifth-year Head Coach Tim Miles.
• The Rams are 12-3 in such contests under Miles' guidance, winning championships in the 2007 BP Top of the World Classic - with victories over Oregon State (69-56; Tim Miles' first victory as CSU head coach), Tennessee State (87-68) and Portland State (W, 64-63) - and the 2010 Cancun Governor's Cup - with wins over Appalachian State (82-79), Ole Miss (68-61) and Southern Miss (63-58).
• The Rams have also recorded runner-up finishes in the 2008 Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, the 2009 BTI Tipoff tournament in Eugene, Ore., and the 2011 Hilltop Challenge in San Francisco, Calif.
About SMU
• SMU enters play at the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off with a 1-0 record after collecting a 78-49 home victory over McMurry.
• The Mustangs went 20-15 in 2010-11, finishing tied for seventh in Conference USA and advancing to the semifinal of the CollegeInsider.com tournament (CIT).
• Senior F Robert Nyakundi, a C-USA third-team all-conference selection, averaged 14.3 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per contest last season, and led the team with 18 points and eight boards in the Mustangs' season-opening win.
• Matt Doherty is in his sixth season as the SMU head coach, where he has posted a 68-90 mark. Overall, Doherty is 158-161 in his 11th season as a head coach.
Series vs. SMU
• CSU trails the overall series with SMU, 4-2.
• The first meeting was Dec. 17, 1952, a 63-62 SMU victory.
• The last meeting was Feb. 11, 1999, a 72-68 SMU win.
• SMU is 2-0 in neutral-site games against CSU, knocking the Rams out of the WAC tournament in 1997 and 1998.
About Fresno State
• Fresno State enters play at the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off with a 1-0 record after picking up a 55-47 home win over Illinois State on Friday.
• The Bulldogs went 14-17 in 2010-11, finishing tied seventh in the WAC with a conference mark of 6-10.
• Sophomore G Kevin Olekaibe led the team with 18 points and three assists, while pulling down four rebounds against the Sycamores.
• Head Coach Rodney Terry is in his first season at the helm of the Bulldogs' program, and his first overall as a head coach.
Series vs. Fresno State
• CSU trails the overall series with Fresno State, 10-9.
• The first meeting was Dec. 29, 1964, an 84-66 CSU victory.
• The last meeting was Dec. 4, 2010, an 87-74 CSU victory.
• The two programs have never faced off on a neutral court.
About Stanford
• Stanford enters play at the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off with a 1-0 record after collecting a 91-52 home victory over Central Arkansas.
• The Cardinal went 15-16 in 2010-11, finishing seventh in the Pac-10 with a 7-11 league mark.
• Sophomore G Aaron Bright led the team with 16 points against UCA, while freshman G Chasson Randle added 15 points and six rebounds. Bright and Randle each recorded four assists against the Bears.
• Johnny Dawkins is in his fourth season as the Stanford head coach, where he has posted a 50-48 mark.
Series vs. Stanford
• CSU trails the overall series with Stanford, 6-2.
• The first meeting was Dec. 19, 1972, a 77-72 CSU victory.
• The last meeting was Dec. 14, 2008, a 74-63 Stanford win.
• Colorado State is 0-4 in road contests against the Cardinal.
A win over SMU...
• Would mark the Rams' third-consecutive season with a 2-0 start.
• Would give the Rams an opportunity to face either host Stanford or Fresno State for a chance to advance to New York's Madison Square Garden for the NIT Season Tip-Off national semifinals and finals Nov. 23.
Looking ahead
• Following action in Palo Alto, Calif., at the NIT Season Tip-Off, Colorado State returns home to Fort Collins where the Rams will host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT.
• The game will mark the second matchup in two years between the CSU and USM, after the Rams earned a 63-58 victory over the Golden Eagles in the Championship Game of the Cancun Governor's Cup last season in Cancun, Mexico.
