CSU To Host Oral Roberts In Season Opener Nov. 9

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State men's basketball will open the 2021-22 season with a matchup of two programs on the rise, as the Rams will host Oral Roberts on Nov. 9 in Moby Arena.

"It's an exciting way to kick off the season at home against a terrific opponent like Oral Roberts," CSU head coach Niko Medved said. "They are coming off a special season and both programs will benefit greatly from playing a game like this."

"We are always seeking to play several games each year that will allow us the opportunity to be tested as a team," ORU head coach Paul Mills commented. "The chance to launch our season against Colorado State will be a great opener for us and a great college basketball game for hoop fans too."

Last year's Summit League Tournament champions, the Golden Eagles were last year's Cinderella in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. ORU entered the tournament as a No. 15 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16 with three-point wins each over No. 7 Ohio State, in overtime, and Florida before losing a two-point nailbiter to No. 10 Arkansas. The squad is again led by junior guard Max Abmas, who led the nation in scoring at 24.5 points per game, including 27.7 points per game in the NCAAs while playing every possible minute in the three contests. The reigning Summit League Player of the Year, Abmas was the Summit League Player of the Year and a CBS Sports Third-Team All-American as well and already has tallied 1,134 points in just two years of collegiate action.

Mills' squad returns three starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's team that finished 18-11 overall, 10-5 during the regular season in the Summit League and won its first Summit League tournament title since 2008. The Golden Eagles also led NCAA Division I in 3-pointers per game (11.1) and free-throw percentage (82.1) while ranking in the top 15 in scoring per game (81.1)

The Rams concluded the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 season at 20-8, marking the first back-to-back 20-win seasons since 2011-12/2012-13 when Medved was an assistant coach on the staff, and a program-best 14-4 record in the Mountain West. CSU returns three All-Mountain West players, all five starters, nine letterwinners and more than 90 percent of its scoring, rebounds, assists and minutes from last year's squad. The team is led by NABC and USBWA All-District juniors David Roddy and Isaiah Stevens, along with seniors Adam Thistlewood, an honorable mention All-Mountain West pick in 2020-21, and Kendle Moore, as the quartet are all on the verge of reaching the 1,000-point mark in their careers this season.

In his fourth year as the head coach of the Rams' men's basketball program in 2021-22, Medved has continued to show his prowess in program improvement, having led his respective squads to increased win percentage over the previous season in each of his eight years as a leader. That includes all three seasons at CSU, resulting in a nine-win improvement over two years and a 20-8 record this past season that earned him Mountain West Coach of the Year from the league's media and United States Basketball Writers Association District Coach of the Year honors. He led CSU to its second consecutive postseason invitation, as the Rams played in the National Invitation Tournament, advancing to the semifinals with wins over Buffalo and NC State.

The remainder of the Rams' schedule will be announced in the coming days, now that the Mountain West schedule has been finalized. Tickets and new fan-flexible mini-plans for the 2021-22 men's and women's basketball seasons, along with football and volleyball, can be purchased now by contacting the CSU Athletics Ticket Office at 800-491-RAMS (7267), csurams.com/tickets or ramtix@colostate.edu.

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