Colorado State continues to compete, continues to win and they're continuing to earn respect.
But, not enough to land in the Top-25, at least not yet.
The Rams are 18-4 overall, 5-2 in the Mountain West Conference, sitting in second place of the second-best conference according to RPI. The team's RPI is 15th best in the nation, and Ken Pomeroy's website has CSU as the 16th best team in the nation, but the AP and USA Today Coaches polls don't agree.
Still, the Rams are the highest they've been all year and receiving the most votes in either poll to start Week 14.
According to the coaches, CSU is the 27th-best team, with 38 votes. The Associated Press has the Rams as the 28th-best team, with 49 votes and according to Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal, they showed up on 17 polls with No. 20 their highest ranking.
Colorado State has won three straight games – beating Fresno State on the road before blowing out Boise State and Wyoming at home – and they look to keep the winning ways going this Wednesday against Nevada.
CSU has run off a record 26 straight home games, and have matched a school record for their best start at 18-4, and their winning with rebounding and defense before scoring.
The Rams rebound better than any team in the nation; their 43.2 RPG is third best in the country while their rebounding margin of +13.7 is easily No. 1. Pierce Hornung and Colton Iverson combine to grab 19.5 boards per game, which is also best in the country for teammates playing in the frontcourt together.
And over their last three wins, they've allowed a superb 55.3 points per game, while scoring 72 per.
These Rams are an overall very good team, one of the best in all of college basketball.
The game in Reno against Nevada (11-10, 2-5 MWC) tips at 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday, February 6 and a win could mean a Top-25 ranking, although it's more likely to come in two weeks, if ever.
On February 13, CSU hosts San Diego State, then travel to Colorado Springs to face Air Force on the 16th.
Win all three games, and it will be very difficult to keep the Rams out of the Top-25.
Of course, that's much easier said than done, and it will be exciting to watch CSU finish one of their best seasons in school history.
More CSU Rams:
Pierce Hornung named MWC Player of the Week
Rich Kurtzman is a freelance journalist. You can follow Rich on twitter or facebook for all your CSU Rams news and opinion.
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