Game Notes

NIT Bracket

THIS WEEK
Mon./Tues., Nov. 16th/17th – The Dicks Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off  vs. No. 12 Connecticut at 9 p.m. and Yale/Hofstra at 7 p.m.

The 2009-10 Colgate men's basketball team opens the 110th season of varsity basketball on Monday, Nov. 16, and Tuesday, Nov. 17 with a trip to Storrs, Conn., for the Dicks Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. The first game against No. 12 Connecticut is scheduled for Monday at 9:00 p.m. at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. The second game against Yale/Hofstra is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

RAIDERS ON TV
The first game against No. 12 Connecticut will be televised on ESPNU.

LIVE STATS
Live stats for both games will be provided on the basketball page of uconnhuskies.com.

SCOUTING COLGATE (0-0)
The Raiders look to return to the Patriot League Championship game with the return eight players from last years squad, including five starters. Colgate is also pleased to welcome back senior Kyle Roemer, a three-year starter who missed all of last season to injury.

Roemer's return brings a lot of experience to a young team. Roemer the 2007-08 team captain led the Raiders in scoring averaging 16.2 points per game. That season Roemer was named second team all-Patriot League and to the Patriot League All-Tournament team after scoring 74 points in three games - two short of the tournament record.

Joining Roemer is talented sophomore Yaw Gyawu who in his rookie season, played in all 30 games with 15 starting assignments for the Raiders and was named to the 2009 Patriot League men's basketball all-rookie team. He was the top rookie scorer in league games with 12.3 points per game. In overall scoring, he is averaged 10.2 points per game, third best on the team.
 
Also returning from last season's squad is Mike Venezia and Ben Jonson. Venezia led the team in scoring averaging 10.8 points per game and was given a share of the teams most valuable player award with Gyawu. Jonson the most improved player for Colgate last season was second in scoring and rebounding averaging, 10.4 and 5.3, respectively.

THE DAVIS FILE
Head coach Emmett Davis (St. Lawrence, 1984) returns for his 12th year in charge at Colgate, owning the most wins in school history with 148.

During coach Davis' decade long tenure, the Colgate program has been a model of consistency.  In nine of his 11 seasons, Davis has led the Raiders to either the upper division of the Patriot League standings or advanced the team to the semifinals or finals of the conference tournament.  From 2001-2004 the Raiders finished with three consecutive regular season winning records (2001-02…17-10, 2002-03…14-13, and 2003-04…14-13) and in 2007-08 the Raiders tied the school record for wins in a season with 18. 

Davis reached another career milestone in November 2005, as Colgate defeated Matt Doherty's Florida Atlantic team 78-74 earning coach Davis his 100th career victory making him just the fifth coach in school history to win 100 games.

PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Raiders have been selected fifth in the Patriot League presesaon poll in voting done by the league coaches and sports information directors.

Holy Cross notched 13 first-place votes and 95 points overall to claim the top spot, and were followed in order by Lehigh (78), Bucknell (63), Army (59), Colgate (51), American (45), Navy (43) and Lafayette (14).

The Raiders made the Patriot League semifinals for the second straight time last season, and have five starters back in the lineup. That group includes the top three scorers from last year, as Mike Venezia (10.8 ppg), Ben Jonson (10.4) and Yaw Gyawu (10.2) all averaged in double figures. The Raiders also bring back senior guard/forward Kyle Roemer, a Second-Team All-Patriot League pick in 2007-08 who missed the 2008-09 season with an injury.

THE SERIES WITH UCONN
This will be the 26th meeting all-time between the two squads, as Connecticut owns a 18-7 lead. Uconn won the last meeting 68-59 in the first round of the 1996 NCAA Tournament.  The Raiders last win at Connecticut, 86-80, came during the 1971-72 season.

THE SERIES WITH YALE
This would be the 26th meeting all-time between the two squads, as Yale owns a 18-7 lead. Colgate won the last meeting 87-75 during the 2001-02 season.

THE SERIES WITH HOFSTRA
This would be just the fourth meeting all-time between Colgate and Hofstra, with Hofstra owning a 3-0 lead. Hofstra won the last meeting 81-65 during the 1997-98 season.

SEASON-OPENER HISTORY
Including last year's 58-57 win over Central Connecticut the Raiders are a 60-49 (.550) in season openers. The Raiders are 5-6 under head coach Emmett Davis, including three straight dating back to 2006-07.