Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Louisiana Tech
Men’s Hoops Opens Season Monday Night
11/5/2023 12:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Colorado State hosts Louisiana Tech in a doubleheader with women’s basketball
FORT COLLINS – The 2023-24 men's basketball season tips-off Monday as Colorado State hosts Louisiana Tech at 8 pm inside Moby Arena. The game is part of a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. Fans can attend the women's game, starting at 5:30 pm, with their ticket to the men's game.
Opening Tip
- Head coach Niko Medved enters his sixth year leading the Colorado State. He is 92-64 as the Rams' head coach. With eight wins this season, he will become the fifth coach in program history to reach the 100 wins mark.
- Isaiah Stevens returns for his final year of eligibility and the nation is taking notice of the guard. Stevens was named the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year and one of 20 players named to the Bob Cousy Preseason Watch List. He is coming off a season averaging career highs in scoring (17.9) and assists (6.7).
- Colorado State is coming off a 15-18 season making it to the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament before falling to eventual national runner-up San Diego State 64-61.
- Patrick Cartier is back in the Green & Gold after averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting an impressive 64.7% from the field.
- The Rams welcome four newcomers to the team from Colorado Springs. Joel Scott, Nique Clifford, Javonte Johnson and Cam Lowe all grew up in the 719 and reunited to play together in Fort Collins. Scott, Clifford and Johnson are transfers from Black Hills State, Colorado and New Mexico, respectively.
- Two other freshmen join the Rams in Kyan Evans and Rashaan Mbemba.
- Head coach Niko Medved welcomes a trio of newcomers to his staff for 2023-24 in assistant coaches C.J. Rivers and Tim Shelton, along with director of basketball operations Taylor Sinclair.
- CSU has a pair of Division II All-Americans on their roster in Patrick Cartier and Joel Scott. Both were two-time All-America selections with Scott being named the DII Player of the Year last season.
- Monday night's match-up marks the second time Colorado State and Louisiana Tech have matched up. The Bulldogs took the first game 76-74 in the 2021 NIT semifinals in Frisco, Texas.
- Louisiana Tech head coach Talvin Hester was briefly an assistant coach at CSU a few years ago before ending up with an assistant job at Texas Tech
- A player from each team that year are now in the NBA and teammates. Both CSU's David Roddy and Tech's Kenneth Lofton Jr play for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Head coach Talvin Hester enters his second season as the leader of Louisiana Tech. He led the team to a 15-18 record in 2022-23.
Like the Rams, Louisiana Tech has its preseason conference player of the year in Isaiah Crawford. The forward averaged 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last year.
Other key returners for the Bulldogs include Dravon Mangum, Will Allen and Jordan Crawford.
The Bulldogs were picked fourth in the C-USA preseason polls.
What's AheadColorado State stays home when they host Wright State on Friday at 7 pm. Assistant coach Brian Cooley used to be on staff for WSU, while graduate assistant Cole Gentry played there.
