University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Friday, November 6
Tempe, AZ
7 p.m. MT
University of Northern Colorado
at
Arizona State
Photo by: Lexie Martin
11/5/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado plays its first road game of the season Friday, facing Arizona State at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
The Bears are 1-0 after a 117-64 win over Colorado College in the opener. Arizona State is 1-0 under first-year head coach Randy Bennett, who took over the program after a long tenure at Saint Mary's.
It is only the second meeting between the two programs. The only previous matchup came on Nov. 28, 2006, a 66-51 Arizona State win in Tempe.
Scouting Arizona State
The Sun Devils opened with a win behind BJ Ward, who scored 25 points on 10-of-23 shooting to go with four steals and three assists. Trevor Hennig added 15 points off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting, and Jayden Cooper finished with 10.
Arizona State shot 25-of-55 from the field in that game, and Marqus Marion started alongside Ward and Cooper in the frontcourt. Bennett has not coached against the Bears.
A Record Night to Build On
Northern Colorado's 117 points against Colorado College were the most in the Steve Smiley era and the fourth time the Bears have reached 100 under him. It was the program's highest output since a 118-point game in 2018 and the most in a season opener since 2012-13.
The Bears shot 56.9 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from three, making 16 of 30 attempts from beyond the arc. Jeremiah Hammond led the way with 17 points in his first career game, one of seven Bears in double figures.
"We have the ability to do it," Smiley said after the win. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it's two or three. It's just, is it a good shot or a bad shot? And I don't think we take very many bad shots."
Langston Reynolds returned to the lineup after a season at Minnesota and finished with 10 points, six assists and four rebounds. He was named Big Sky Preseason Most Valuable Player this fall.
Up Next
Northern Colorado hosts Northern New Mexico on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. MT.
Tickets can be purchased through the UNC ticket office online at UNCBears.com/Tickets, by calling 970-351-4849, or in person at the UNC ticket office during normal business hours.
Roundball Club
Your support of the Roundball Club helps UNC Men's Basketball prepare for the challenges of a competitive season. Gifts contribute to important program needs, including equipment, nutrition, training and travel, helping our student-athletes grow on and off the court. Together, we can help the Bears continue building momentum.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB).
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The Bears are 1-0 after a 117-64 win over Colorado College in the opener. Arizona State is 1-0 under first-year head coach Randy Bennett, who took over the program after a long tenure at Saint Mary's.
It is only the second meeting between the two programs. The only previous matchup came on Nov. 28, 2006, a 66-51 Arizona State win in Tempe.
Scouting Arizona State
The Sun Devils opened with a win behind BJ Ward, who scored 25 points on 10-of-23 shooting to go with four steals and three assists. Trevor Hennig added 15 points off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting, and Jayden Cooper finished with 10.
Arizona State shot 25-of-55 from the field in that game, and Marqus Marion started alongside Ward and Cooper in the frontcourt. Bennett has not coached against the Bears.
A Record Night to Build On
Northern Colorado's 117 points against Colorado College were the most in the Steve Smiley era and the fourth time the Bears have reached 100 under him. It was the program's highest output since a 118-point game in 2018 and the most in a season opener since 2012-13.
The Bears shot 56.9 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from three, making 16 of 30 attempts from beyond the arc. Jeremiah Hammond led the way with 17 points in his first career game, one of seven Bears in double figures.
"We have the ability to do it," Smiley said after the win. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it's two or three. It's just, is it a good shot or a bad shot? And I don't think we take very many bad shots."
Langston Reynolds returned to the lineup after a season at Minnesota and finished with 10 points, six assists and four rebounds. He was named Big Sky Preseason Most Valuable Player this fall.
Up Next
Northern Colorado hosts Northern New Mexico on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. MT.
Tickets can be purchased through the UNC ticket office online at UNCBears.com/Tickets, by calling 970-351-4849, or in person at the UNC ticket office during normal business hours.
Roundball Club
Your support of the Roundball Club helps UNC Men's Basketball prepare for the challenges of a competitive season. Gifts contribute to important program needs, including equipment, nutrition, training and travel, helping our student-athletes grow on and off the court. Together, we can help the Bears continue building momentum.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB).
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