Northern Colorado Bears men's basketball


The Northern Colorado Bears men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Big Sky Conference. Northern Colorado made its first and to date only NCAA tournament appearance in 2011.
WWW uncbears.com/index.aspx?p...

Team History

Northern Colorado began men’s basketball play in 1901. The program joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1924 and remained in that conference into 1973. From 1973 to 1976, Northern Colorado moved and competed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference before a brief period as an independent. In 1979, the Bears joined the North Central Conference. Northern Colorado then competed as an independent during the 2003-04 through 2005–06 seasons while transitioning to NCAA Division I men's basketball. The move was finalized in 2006 with the program’s entry into Division I and membership in the Big Sky Conference.

Coaches

The following is a list of Northern Colorado Bears men's basketball head coaches. There have been 20 head coaches of the Bears in their 120-season history. Records are updated through end of 2024–25 season.
Northern Colorado's current head coach is Steve Smiley. He was hired as the Bears' head coach in March 2020, replacing Jeff Linder, who left to become the head coach at Wyoming. Smiley served as associate head coach before moving to the head coaching role.
Unknown^1901-19145-3.423
Royce Long1914-19163-5.375
Paul Abbott1916-19175-7.417
Ralph Glaze1917-19198-13.381
William E. Search1919-192211-13.458
George E. Cooper1922-193188-48.647
John S. Davis1931-193771-53.573
Jules Doubenmeier1937-194033-24.579
Pete Butler1940-1943
1945-1956		151-133.532
John W. Hancock1943-19451-25.038
John Bunn1956-196373-94.437
George Sage1963-196895-36.725
Thurm Wright1968-1983156-216.419
Ron Brillhart1983-1992121-132.478
Ken Smith1992-199978-111.413
Craig Rasmusson1999-200663-129.328
Tad Boyle2006-201056-66.459
B.J. Hill*2010-201610-21.323
Jeff Linder2016-202080-50.615
Steve Smiley2020-present89-71.556

Players

Career leaders

1Jordan Davis2015-20192,272
2Mike Higgins 1985-19892,112
3Chuck Knostman1981-19851,664
4Daylen Kountz2021-20231,649
5Devon Beitzel2006-20111,568
6Bodie Hume2018-20221,530
7Derek Chaney1990-19941,491
8Matt Johnson II2018-20231,425
9Tevin Svihovec2010-20151,391
10Sean Taibi2004-20081,363

1Mike Higgins 1985-1989959
2Jonah Radebaugh2015-2020776
3Robert Skinner1976-1980767
4Jim Hruska1956-1960754
5Kur Jongkuch2018-2022698
6Bodie Hume2018-2022676
7Toby Moser1986-1990669
8Tom Kummer1971-1975648
9Mike Proctor2008-2012639
10Robert Ruffin1959-1962617

1Knute Peterson1981-1985160
2Jordan Davis2015-2019155
3Devon Beitzel2006-2011151
4Jonah Radebaugh2015-2020148
5Antwine Williams1996-1998134
6Mike Higgins1985-1989131
Sean Nolen2000-2005131
8Derek Chaney1990-1994130
9Erik Olson2002-2006123
10Tedd Sabus1984-1988113

Individual awards

All-Americans
Devon Beitzel2011AP
Jordan Davis2019AP

Big Sky Player of the Year
Big Sky Rookie of the Year
  • Bodie Hume – 2019
Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year
Big Sky Sixth Man of the Year
  • Kai Edwards - 2020
  • Dejour Reaves - 2024
Big Sky Tournament MVP
Big Sky All-Conference First Team
Big Sky All-Conference Second Team
Big Sky All-Conference Third Team
  • Jordan Davis - 2017, 2018
  • Bodie Hume - 2021
  • Matt Johnson II - 2021, 2022
Big Sky All-Conference Defensive Team
  • Zach Bloch - 2025

Postseason history

NCAA Division I tournament results

The Bears have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament once, where they lost to San Diego State in 2011.
201115Round of 64[2010–11 2017–18 San Diego Toreros men's basketball team|San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball team|(2) San Diego State]L 50–68

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Bears have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament four times. Their combined record is 1–6.
1964Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		Southeast Missouri State
Lamar		L 79–83
L 85–116
1965Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		Minnesota State–Moorhead
Minnesota–Duluth		L 73–74
L 58–86
1966Regional semifinalsNorth DakotaL 71–84
1989Regional semifinals
Regional Finals		Alaska–Fairbanks
Wisconsin-Milwaukee		W 92–70
L 88–89 OT

NIT results

The Bears have appeared in one National Invitation Tournament. Their record is 0–1.
2025First roundUC IrvineL 72–82

CBI results

The Bears have appeared in two College Basketball Invitational. Their combined record is 2–2.
2022No. 12First round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		No. 5 Florida Atlantic
No. 13 UNC Asheville
No. 9 UNC Wilmington		W 74–71
W 87–84
L 64–80
2024No. 8First roundNo. 9 Cleveland StateL 49-51

CIT results

The Bears have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament three times under three different head coaches. Their combined record is 5–2. They were CIT champions in 2018.
2010First round
Quarterfinals		Loyola Marymount
Pacific		W 86–76
L 59–63
2014First roundTexas A&M–Corpus ChristiL 71–82
2018Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship Game		Drake
San Diego
Sam Houston State
UIC		W 81–72
W 86–75
W 99–80
W 76–71