Mid-major Basketball power rankings: Rhode Island, New Mexico State make moves
22. Colorado State Rams (17-8, 8-4 in Mountain West)
The start of the year has been great for Colorado State, with big man Nico Carvacho finally getting some consistent help from the guard line. Freshman guard Isaiah Stevens leads the team in scoring (13.4) and assists (4.5) and has had several games of 20+ points in conference play. As a team, the Rams have won eight of nine, including dropping over 100 on New Mexico.
They’re a much different team than they were when they faced San Diego State over two months ago. With Utah State and others already having their shots, Colorado State may be the biggest obstacle left in the Aztecs quest for an undefeated regular season.
21. Saint Louis Billikens (17-6, 6-4 in Atlantic 10)
That Dayton game seems to have had a lingering effect on Saint Louis. After letting the massive win slip out of their hands, the Billikens have struggled to beat La Salle and Saint Joseph, while also losing to both Davidson and Duquesne. The losses aren’t awful but it puts the team behind position for a possible top-4 seed.
The good news is that they get a shot at redemption this weekend with a road trip to Dayton. Win and your at-large hopes all of a sudden get a new life. Lose, and you know that you’ll have to win the A-10 Tournament to get in, but will be in a tough position to do so.