Colorado State University Athletics
Rams announce 2014-15 men's basketball schedule
7/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
July 30, 2014
Online Schedule | Printable PDF | GCI Great Alaska Shootout Bracket | Purchase Tickets
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Colorado State men's basketball team on Wednesday afternoon released its entire 2014-15 schedule which includes 16 regular-season home games highlighted by a key non-conference matchup against 2014 NCAA Tournament Cinderella Mercer at Moby Arena on Nov. 23 as part of a preliminary round leading into the GCI Great Alaska Shootout.
Non-Conference Schedule
The start of the highly anticipated 2014-15 campaign is set to begin with an exhibition game Monday, Nov. 10 against RMAC opponent Fort Lewis College, followed by three consecutive home games to begin the regular-season schedule.
CSU's regular-season opener is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15 against Big Sky power Montana. Six days later, the Rams welcome 2014 NIT participant Georgia State into Moby Arena providing a top-80 RPI test before the big matchup against Mercer, the 2014 Atlantic Sun Tournament Champions who finished with a 27-9 record last season including a victory over No. 3-seeded Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The next day both the Rams and the Bears will travel to Anchorage, Alaska, to participate over the Thanksgiving break in the GCI Great Alaska Shootout, the longest-running regular-season college basketball tournament in the nation, hosted by the Alaska Anchorage.
CSU's first matchup at the brand new Alaska Airlines Center will be against the Missouri State Bears, with a late tipoff slated for 10 p.m. local time on Wednesday (12 a.m. MT on Thursday). The rest of the tournament field includes host UAA and Pac-12 foe Washington State, along with Mercer, Pacific, Rice and 20-game winner UC Santa Barbara.
December begins with three matchups against familiar foes coming off of postseason play in 2013-14. On Dec. 3, the Rams welcome the UTEP Miners, 2014 CBI participants, to Moby Arena. It marks the fourth-consecutive season that the former WAC rivals have squared off in non-conference play. In-state rival Northern Colorado, who played in the 2014 CIT, then visits Moby Arena for the 131st matchup in the series between the programs. On Dec. 10 the Rams travel the 45 miles from Moby Arena to the Coors Event Center for the 123rd game all-time against the rival Colorado Buffaloes, who are coming off of a third-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
The home stretch of the Rams' non-conference slate begins Dec. 13 with a home game against NCAA Division II national tournament qualifier Arkansas-Fort Smith. After a week away from the court for finals, the Rams travel to face Denver on Dec. 19 at Magness Arena. The matchup is the 161st in the series between the Rams and the Pioneers.
Colorado State heads into its break for the Christmas holiday, hosting Charleston Southern on Dec. 22, and returns to the court for its non-conference finale Dec. 27 with a tough road test against a New Mexico State Aggies program looking for its fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015.
Mountain West Schedule
The Mountain West conference schedule, once again, shapes up to be a very competitive race with four of the league's 11 teams coming off of postseason berths - including NCAA tournament berths for San Diego State (Sweet 16) and New Mexico (Second Round) - and all but two of the Rams' 10 league foes coming off of winning records.
The 11-team, 18-game schedule includes home-and-home matchups with eight of 10 conference opponents, and just one game against each of the remaining two programs. This year the Rams will face UNLV and Utah State just once, hosting the Runnin' Rebels on Feb. 7, and making the trip to Logan, Utah, for their regular-season finale on March 7.
The Rams open MW play on New Year's Eve, hosting the Boise State Broncos, coming off of a 21-13 campaign last season, with a return date to the Broncos' Taco Bell Arena scheduled for either Jan. 27 or 28.
CSU's first road test in league play sends the squad to arguably the toughest venue in the nation, when the Rams travel to Albuquerque for a Jan. 3 matchup against New Mexico at The Pit. The Lobos, coming off of a 27-7 mark last season, travel to Moby Arena on Feb. 10.
The two legs of the men's basketball Border War vs. arch-rival Wyoming are slated for Jan. 7 at Moby Arena, and Feb. 4 at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie, Wyo. The Cowboys are coming off of an appearance in the 2014 CBI. CSU's rivalry games against the Air Force Falcons are scheduled for Jan. 10 in Colorado Springs and Feb. 21 in Fort Collins.
CSU hosts Nevada on Jan. 14, and travels to Reno to face the Wolf Pack on March 4, while San José State welcomes CSU on Jan. 17 before visiting Moby Arena on Feb. 25 for the Rams' regular-season home finale.
Defending Mountain West regular-season champions San Diego State visit Moby Arena for a key conference matchup on Jan. 24, with the Rams set to invade Viejas Arena for a Valentine's Day tilt in San Diego. Fresno State, coming off a 21-18 season which included a runner-up finish in the CBI, travels to Moby Arena on Jan. 31, with the Rams visiting the Bulldogs' Save Mart Center on Feb. 18.
The 2015 Mountain West Men's Basketball Championship tournament is slated for March 11-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Broadcast Schedule Forming
In addition to dates and opponents, the Rams also released a minimum of nine contests slated for national broadcasts on either CBS Sports Network or ESPN Networks. Two more potential CBS Sports Network broadcasts are also slated should the Rams advance through the winner's bracket of the GCI Great Alaska Shootout. Additional television dates will be added as the season draws closer. For the most accurate schedule information, including updated times and broadcast information, click here.
Season Tickets On Sale Now
Season-ticket packages starting at less than $8 per game are on sale now. Youth pricing, CSU faculty/staff discounts, and young alumni specials are also available. For more information call the Rams ticket sales department at 800/491-RAMS (7627) or visit CSURams.com/tickets.
