BASKETBALL GAME CENTRAL

THIS WEEK
Wed., Nov. 16 - at Wisconsin 7 p.m. CT (Kohl Center)

The Colgate University men's basketball team will continue its road trip to open the 2011-12 season when it visits No. 13/14 Wisconsin on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT at the Kohl Center and can be seen live on ESPN3.

BASKETBALL GAME CENTRAL
Raider fans can follow every Colgate game this season through Basketball Game Central located on the Colgate Athletic Website. Basketball Game Central keeps fans one click away from following live stats, listening to the radio or watching the game live. Basketball Game Central also carries all the information on each opponent from who is leading the all-time series to who won the last game.

THE SERIES WITH WISCONSIN
This will be the first meeting between Colgate and Wisconsin.

SCOUTING COLGATE (1-0)
Colgate won its season opener for the first time in three years after topping Binghamton 78-74 Saturday night in front of a packed house at the Events Center. The Raiders led by as much as 18 early in the second half and then made crucial free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

Senior guard Mike Venezia led the Raiders with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while classmate Sterling Melville scored a career-high 17 points. Juniors Brandon James and Mitch Rolls scored nine points apiece, while John Brandenburg recorded a game-high 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. James also grabbed nine rebounds on the night for the Raiders.

Colgate head coach Matt Langel won his debut with the Raiders, becoming just the fifth coach in program history to win his first game and the first since Howard Hartman led Colgate past St. Lawrence in 1949. Brandenburg was the first Raider to record three or more blocked shots and grab 10 or more rebounds in a season opener since Alex Woodhouse did in 2007. The Raiders improved to 7-2 all-time against Binghamton and to 61-51 all-time in season openers.

SCOUTING WISCONSIN (1-0)
No. 13/14 Wisconsin opened its 2011-12 campaign with a 85-31 win over Kennesaw State on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Kohl Center. The win was the second largest in school history. The Badgers largest margin of victory was 55 points over Denver on Dec. 14, 1988 (89-34).

Ben Brust and Josh Gasser scored 14 points apiece as the Badgers hit 15 3-pointers to extend their home winning streak to 20-games. The 15 made 3-pointers ranks as the second-highest total in school history. Ryan Evans had 13 points, while Jared Berggren and preseason All-American Jordan Taylor each added 11 for Wisconsin.

VENEZIA NAMED PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Colgate senior Mike Venezia was named the Patriot League Anaconda Player of the Week, following his season-opening performance against Binghamton. Venezia earned his first player of the week award after leading the Raiders to a 78-74 win at Binghamton on Saturday. He made 6-of-12 shots, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, and hit all six free-throw attempts for a game-high 22 points. It matched the highest total for a Patriot League player on the season's opening week. Venezia made his first three shots including a pair of three-pointers as Colgate jumped out to a 39-27 lead at the half.

1,000 POINTS AND COUNTING
Last season, senior forward Yaw Gyawu became the 28th player in school history to join the 1,000-point club. Gyawu led Colgate in scoring with 12.6 points per game and enters his final season with 1,102 points, which ranks 24th overall.

ROLLS SHARING THE ROCK
During the 2010-11 season point guard Mitch Rolls became the first Raider since the 2002-03 season to amass 100 or more assists in a season with 107. Rolls enters his junior campaign with 206 assists which ranks 15th all-time at Colgate.

VENEZIA KEEPS RAINING THREE'S
Colgate senior Mike Venezia has made a total of 146 three-pointers in his career which ranks seventh all-time in the Colgate record books. Former teammate Kyle Roemer '10 holds the school record (267), while director of basketball operations Mark Linebaugh '04 ranks fifth with 173.

RAIDERS PICKED SIXTH PL PRESEASON POLL
The Colgate men's basketball team was picked sixth in the 2011-12 Patriot League preseason coaches and sports information directors poll, it was announced during media day at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pa.

Defending champion Bucknell emerged from the group as the top choice in the poll with 98 points and 14 first place votes. Lehigh followed with 82 points and two first place votes, while Holy Cross was third with 73 points. Lafayette (55), American (47) and Colgate (44) were closely bunched in the next three spots, while Navy (34) and Army (15) filled out the rankings.