This shapes up to be an elite rivalry basketball game.
The Colorado State men’s basketball team hosts Colorado on Dec. 6 at Moby Arena. The Buffs are off to a perfect start and the Rams have started well under first-year coach Ali Farokhmanesh.
Both have the look of teams that contend for an NCAA Tournament appearance.
“It’s a great opportunity for both of us. You love this game because it provides both of us with a Quad 2, Quad 1 opportunity,” Farokhmanesh said. “It brings excitement to the state. If you want to build excitement in the state of Colorado, you need the two best teams in the state playing each other.”
Here’s a look at everything to know about the CSU game against CU:
What time does Colorado vs Colorado State basketball start?
- Date: Dec. 6
- Start time: 3 p.m. MT
The game between Colorado State and Colorado will begin at 3 p.m. Mountain from Moby Arena in Fort Collins.
How can you watch CU vs CSU basketball on TV, online?
- On TV: CBS Sports Network
- Online: Fubo TV, others
The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.
How to find CBS Sports Network
Colorado channel guide:
- Comcast/Xfinity: 412 (846 for HD)
- DirecTV: 221
- Dish Network: 158
- Fort Collins Connexion: 70
How to listen on the radio
The CSU vs. CU game can be heard on FM 99.1 with play-by-play from Brian Roth and analysis by Adam Nigon.
Who are the coaches?
CU is led by Tad Boyle, who is 320-204 in his 16th year at Colorado and 372-246 overall (he spent three seasons at Northern Colorado).
CSU is led by Ali Farokhmanesh, who is in his first season as a head coach. He had been a CSU assistant since 2018 under former head coach Niko Medved. Farokhmanesh is 6-2.
What are the records?
CU is 8-0 and coming off a 78-70 home win over Cal Baptist on Dec. 1. It’s CU’s first 8-0 start since the 1949-50 season.
CSU is 6-2 and will be playing its first game after going 2-1 in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Rams lost to Virginia Tech and then beat Wichita State and South Florida in the tournament.
Colorado vs Colorado State betting odds
CSU is a 2.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM.
Stadium information
The game will be at Moby Arena in Fort Collins. Moby has a capacity of 8,093 and the game has been announced as a sellout. Fans are encouraged to wear green.
The cheapest secondary market tickets on StubHub are listed in the low $60s. Prices are similar on SeatGeek.
What do the metrics say?
Colorado State is No. 67 in KenPom’s rankings and Colorado is No. 68. KenPom’s metrics project a 79-75 win for the Rams. CSU is No. 70 in Bart Torvik’s T-Rank and CU is No. 72 and Torvik’s metrics project a 75-71 CSU win.
The first NCAA NET rankings were released this week and CU is No. 42 and CSU is No. 60.
Who are key players to watch?
COLORADO
- Isaiah Johnson: The 6-foot-1 freshman guard leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game despite not having started a game yet. He’s shooting 55% on 3-pointers
- Barrington Hargress: The 6-foot-1 junior guard is third on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game and is 50% (6-12) on 3-pointers. He leads the team at 5.1 assists per game. CSU fans may remember Hargress: He was at UC-Riverside last season and banked in a 3-pointer near halfcourt to force overtime and an eventual loss for the Rams last season.
- Bangot Dak: The 7-foot junior forward is averaging 11.6 and 7.5 rebounds per game and has a team-high 14 blocks.
COLORADO STATE
- Kyle Jorgensen: The 6-foot-9 sophomore forward leads the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game and is second at 6.1 rebounds per game. He’s scored 15 or more points five times this season (with a high of 29) but is coming off just three points in CSU’s last game.
- Josh Pascarelli: The 6-foot-3 junior guard torched South Florida last game, hitting all eight 3-pointers and scoring 28 points. He’s shooting 48% from 3-point range.
- Carey Booth: The 6-foot-10 junior forward and Colorado native is averaging 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He has three double-doubles this season and another game where he was one rebound off. He’s shooting 60% from the floor.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
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