Men's Basketball Opens Season Friday at New Mexico

Game Notes | Audio | Live Stats

POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team opens the 2014-15 season at the University of New Mexico on Friday, November 14. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. and it will be broadcast live on Root Sports and on the radio at Rock 102.5 and 930 CBS Sports Radio. Matt Gittins will call the action live on 102.5 and 930 AM.  Following Friday's contest at New Mexico, ISU plays at Denver on November 16. Tipoff for that contest is at 4 p.m.

New Mexico leads the series 5-2. The Bengals two wins came in the 1966-67 and the 1978-79 season. The Lobos have won the last four meetings with the most recent contest being a 65-41 victory at The Pit on November 30, 2011.

In two exhibition games, New Mexico beat Western New Mexico 89-45 and Adams State 62-50.  UNM was picked to finish third in the Mountain West Conference behind San Diego State and Boise State. The Lobos became the first program in the history of the conference to win three consecutive MW Tournaments last season, winning its seventh conference championship in the past six seasons. UNM punched its ticket to the 2014 NCAA Tournament after posting a record of 27-7 as Craig Neal posted the most wins in program history by a first-year head coach.

Idaho State vs. Denver
ISU leads the series, 4-3, but Sunday will be the first meeting between the two schools since the 1974-75 season. The seven meetings between the two schools came between 1956 and 1957.

Scouting Denver
The Denver Pioneers enter its second season in the Summit League. They were picked second in the conference in the preseason polls. Last year Denver finished 16-15 and 8-6 in league play.

Recapping the Two Exhibition Games
Idaho State beat Montana Tech 66-59 and Great Falls 65-40.  Nnamdi Ezenwa led the Bengals with 19 points against Montana Tech and Evann Hall had 13 points against Great Falls

Preseason Rankings
This year the Bengals were picked 10th by the media and coaches. Weber State was picked to win the league in both polls.

Long Range
Chris Hansen enters his senior season ranked third all-time for 3-pointers made and attempted. He has made 149 three-pointers on 386 attempts. David Schroeder holds the record for most 3-pointers made in a career with 211 and Austin Kilpatrick holds the top mark for three-pointers attempted with 510. Kilpatrick is second in the career record books for 3-pointers made with 183 and Schroeder is second in 3-pointers attempted with 490.