BASKETBALL GAME CENTRAL

THIS WEEK
Sat., Nov. 12 - at Binghamton 7 p.m. (Events Center)

The Colgate University men's basketball team will open its 2011-12 season at Binghamton on Saturday, Nov. 12. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Events Center and can be followed live online at BuBearcats.tv.

THE SERIES WITH BINGHAMTON
This will be the ninth meeting between Colgate and Binghamton with the Raiders leading the all-time series 6-2. Colgate lost the season opener to the Bearcats last year 62-60 in Hamilton, but has won both meetings in Vestal, including a 73-55 win during the 2007-08 season.

SCOUTING COLGATE (0-0)
Colgate returns nine letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 7-23 overall, after losing Joe Hoban '11. Hoban finished his senior campaign averaging 10.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He also finished second in the Patriot League with 47 steals.

The Raiders return four starters from last year's team, which will provide excellent leadership. Of those returning are seniors Yaw Gyawu, Mike Venezia and Nick Pascale along with junior Mitch Rolls. Gyawu was the teams leading scorer last season averaging 12.6 points per game, Venezia averaged 9.6 per game. Pascale lead the team in rebounding with 6.6 per game, while Rolls was the first Raider since the 2002-03 season to amass 100 or more assists in a season with 107. Also returning for the Raiders is sophomore Pat Moore, who was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie team after playing in all 30 games and averaging 5.4 points per game.

SEASON-OPENER HISTORY
Colgate is 60-51 (.540) in season openers over its 111 years of basketball. The Raiders are 2-1 in their last three openers on the road including a 58-57 win at Central Connecticut, but has dropped their last two openers overall, including last seasons loss to Binghamton 62-60 in Hamilton.

SCOUTING BINGHAMTON (0-0)
The Bearcats posted a 8-23 overall record last season and finished tied for eighth in America East with an 4-12 record. This season Binghamton welcomes nine newcomers to the program and returns starting junior point guard Jimmy Gray who averaged 8.1 points per game last year in America East play.

Binghamton sophomore guard Rob Mansell led four players in double figures as the Bearcats ran past visiting Mansfield 79-64 in an exhibition game Monday night at the Events Center.  Mansell hit 7-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the line and the Bearcats built a 13-point halftime lead to win their only exhibition game before the season-opener.

Binghamton shot 48% for the game (29-for-61) and held Mansfield to 38% accuracy (24-for-64).  The Bearcats hit 17-of-18 from the line and held a 42-30 advantage on the glass.  Each team hit four three-pointers (BU 4-for-14, Mansfield 4-for-18). The Bearcats played the game without Jimmy Gray (injury) and senior center Kyrie Sutton (dismissed from team).

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 fifth-year senior Mike Venezia has made a total of 142 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.