(Read this story on CSURams.com)
Colorado State men’s basketball released its complete 2016-17 schedule, including 10 home non-conference games, head coach Larry Eustachy announced today. The full slate is highlighted by three 2016 NCAA tournament teams, three NIT foes and the CBI champion, including five matchups being played in the Centennial State.
“This is one of the toughest non-conference schedules Colorado State has had in a long time,” Eustachy said. “It will be a great test for us and great for our fans to have some of these teams come to our state to play.”
After an exhibition with Regis on Nov. 8, the Rams open the 2016-17 campaign at home against New Mexico State, who played in the NIT last season, on Nov. 13 and Fort Lewis on Nov. 16. The road portion of the year starts with a challenge at Pac-12 foe Stanford on Nov. 20. Three games at home follow over Thanksgiving week before CSU heads 50 minutes down the road to take on 2016 NCAA Tournament team and in-state rival Colorado on Nov. 30.
Starting a string of five home games, CSU will play its contest in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge at home on Dec. 3, hosting a Wichita State squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year fifth consecutive appearance. Contests against Arkansas-Fort Smith (Dec. 6) and Northern Colorado (Dec. 10) lead into finals week for the Rams, with a rematch with the Big-12’s Kansas State at the Pepsi Center in Denver slated for Dec. 17. Loyola Marymount wraps up the home non-conference portion on Dec. 19, with the final game before Mountain West play at Long Beach State, also a 2016 NIT participant, on Dec. 22.
This non-conference schedule is in addition to the yearly battles in the Mountain West, as three league schools appeared in postseason action last year (Fresno State-NCAA, San Diego State-NIT Semifinals, Nevada-CBI Champion).
Game times will be announced in mid-September as non-conference and MW television schedules are finalized. Several games will be in-season decisions by the leagues of the host schools, also based on their television commitments.
