LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Have a strong opinion about something happening on campus or in Fort Collins? Want to respond to an article written on The Collegian? Write a Letter to the Editor by following the guidelines here.

CSU men’s basketball secures NIT spot, faces Saint Joseph’s in round 1

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

March 15, 2026

Collegian | Cait Mckinzie

Colorado State University men’s basketball forward Carey Booth (0) looks for a way around San Diego State University forward Magoon Gwath (0) during CSU’s game against SDSU in the Mountain West tournament March 12.

Colorado State men’s basketball’s postseason run isn’t quite over.

After falling in the Mountain West quarterfinals to San Diego State — who lost to Utah State in the championship round — the Rams’ postseason was revived on Selection Sunday March 15 with the National Invitation Tournament. Ram fans will get at least one more show as CSU got a spot in the Albuquerque region, going up against Saint Joseph’s in the first round at 9 p.m. Wednesday in Moby Arena.

CSU is currently 9-11 in its history with the tournament, with 11 seasons of participation.

The last time the Rams made it to the NIT, they went to its Final Four in 2021 behind former head coach Niko Medved, David Roddy and Isaiah Stevens.

Power Four conferences receive invites to the NIT, but some reject those offers, offering more room for programs like the 21-12 CSU to step in. With more of a spread of competition, 55 different teams have won the championship since its creation in 1938, when Temple beat Colorado.

This is the next-best alternative for CSU, whose dancing hopes were dashed with a loss in the conference tournament.

USU was the only MW school who secured a bid to March Madness, automatically advancing as champions from Thomas and Mack Center. For a mid-major conference, one bid has become a rare occurrence, with 2-3 bids became more typical over time.

Even though MW teams have a tendency to fall short in the Big Dance, USU; SDSU; and CSU all made the NCAA Tournament in 2025, when the Rams made it to the second round of the West Region.

Should CSU make a run in the the NIT, the championship will be hosted April 5 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers. And the semifinals will also be in Indianapolis at Hinkle fieldhouse, Butler’s campus arena.

If the Rams beat the Hawks Wednesday, they will face the winner of the California and UIC game.

Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.

Interested in more sports content? Sign up for Ram Report here for weekly CSU sports updates!

About the Contributors

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

The best experiences come unexpectedly. For Michael Hovey, that idea manifested in the form of a sports editor role for The Collegian last year. As a returning editor in 2025-26, he’s set his sights on supporting his team and trying not to think about leaving all the amazing people he’s met. As a storyteller, Hovey wants to dig a little deeper and possibly uncover something worth reading. With the help of his co-editor, Sophie Webb, and the rest of The Collegian, Hovey hopes to expand the sports desk’s multimedia presence. He understands the role of a journalist has evolved, and he aims to help set up his peers for success. In reality, though, he never expected to be here. Hovey valued stability when he picked a business degree with a concentration in marketing, but telling human stories was really his intention. He stumbled upon The Collegian at the recommendation of his girlfriend, and he’s extremely fortunate for that. Through sports, his passion for creation has grown, and his knack for going a step further past the box score has improved. He knew from a young age he wouldn’t make it far as an athlete, but Hovey’s learned how to immerse himself in the storylines that come with each game and each person. In his time away from his jobs and school, he’ll be soaking up every moment in his final year of college, spending time with the people he cares about and sharing meals as often as he can.

Cait Mckinzie, Photo Director

Cait Mckinzie is a third-year student double majoring in art and journalism and media communication. She is the returning photo director for the 2025-26 school year. As an out-of-state student from Renton, Washington, there wasn’t much in Fort Collins Mckinzie was familiar with when she first started at Colorado State University. But in high school, she was the co-head of visuals for her school newspaper, so she applied to The Collegian as a photographer during her first year to get back into a similar environment. At the end of her year as a freelancer, she was trained by Milo Gladstein and Garrett Mogel, her photo directors, to take over Gladstein’s position when he graduated. She attributes most of her photojournalistic experience — and some of her sense of humor — to them. Most of Mckinzie’s photography experience, though, comes from her grandfather. A photographer for most of his life, he gifted Mckinzie her first camera in her junior year of high school and taught her how to use it. With his guidance, she improved her skills during high school enough to get her to The Collegian, a paper that now takes up a large amount of her time. Mckinzie is excited for another year at The Collegian and aims to make her photo desk one Gladstein and Mogel would be proud of.

Comments (0)

When commenting on The Collegian’s website, please be respectful of others and their viewpoints. The Collegian reviews all comments and reserves the right to reject comments from the website. Comments including any of the following will not be accepted. 1. No language attacking a protected group, including slurs or other profane language directed at a person’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, physical or mental disability, ethnicity or nationality. 2. No factually inaccurate information, including misleading statements or incorrect data. 3. No abusive language or harassment of Collegian writers, editors or other commenters. 4. No threatening language that includes but is not limited to language inciting violence against an individual or group of people. 5. No links.

Share your thoughts...

All The Rocky Mountain Collegian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Subscribe to The Stump

Subscribe to Ram Report

CSU men’s basketball secures NIT spot, faces Saint Joseph’s in round 1

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Comments (0)