Colgate University men’s basketball always expects to compete, but that mindset wasn’t enough to deliver a win in the team’s opening week after an 80-69 loss against no. 22-ranked Michigan State University on Nov. 3.
Colgate displayed a strong performance against Michigan State on Nov. 3. The Raiders kept it close, trailing the Spartans by only three points at halftime. After a strong start, the team began to fade in the second half, ending the game with an 11-point deficit and falling short of a massive upset.
Despite the loss, the Raiders came away from the performance with a positive mindset, having proved they can hang with strong opponents. Senior manager Theo Freeman discussed the locker room reaction in the wake of the season-opener.
“I think they were happy with how they competed but definitely saw a missed opportunity to pull off an upset,” Freeman said.
He also highlighted the motivation the game gave the team, which the Raiders look to carry into the rest of the season as they work to rebound from the two early losses.
“Keeping the score close against a team like that could provide some confidence, but I think the team knows they have a lot to improve on,” Freeman said. “For now the focus is on improving one game and one practice at a time.”
The loss against Northeastern was a tough pill to swallow after this impressive performance, with the Raiders suffering a 68-65 loss in their home-opener against the Northeastern University Huskies on Friday, Nov. 7.
There was a nervous energy early in the home opener at Cotterell Court, with the Raiders falling to an 11-2 deficit in the first three minutes. But Colgate responded, taking a 35-27 lead into halftime on the back of senior guard Kyle Carlesimo, the Raiders’ joint top scorer of the night alongside junior Sam Wright, both of whom ended with 16 points.
Colgate maintained this momentum late in the game, leading 61-53 with four minutes to go, before a late collapse cost the Raiders the win. The final stretch of the game saw a 15-4 Northeastern run and Carlesimo’s deep three-pointer fell short at the buzzer, marking the Raiders’ second loss of the season.
Despite his strong performance in the loss, Carlesimo stressed the need to improve quickly.
“It really sucks to lose that game when we felt we were in control,” Carlesimo said. “Can’t make excuses, we just have to do everything we can to get ready to win on Tuesday.”
For the first time in several years, Colgate is not the team to beat in the Patriot League men’s basketball standings. Coming off a 14-19 campaign that ended in a loss to American University in the Patriot League Semifinals last season, the Raiders are projected to finish third in the conference this season. However, this has not slowed down the team’s desire to return to the NCAA Tournament in March.
While Colgate has flown under the radar coming into this season, players believe that this team can go far. First-year forward Ayomi Odetoyinbo discussed where the Raiders excel, highlighting their all-around strength.
“Our ultimate goal this year is to win the Patriot League and make a run in the NCAA Tournament,” Odetoyinbo said. “We have what it takes to make that goal a reality, from the players to the coaching staff.”
The first-year also gave a glimpse into the Raiders’ mindset going into the 2025-26 season.
“We’re going to [play] our brand of high level, Colgate basketball,” Odetoyinbo said. “The team’s mentality is to compete for a championship and our actions on and off the court will reflect that.”
This desire to win will play a massive role throughout the season, as Colgate men’s basketball looks to take home their fifth Patriot League title in six years and return to the NCAA Tournament.
The Raiders host Drexel University on Tuesday, Nov. 11, looking to push through their tough early-season schedule and earn their first win in another non-conference game at Cotterell Court.
