It is stunning how the Colorado State Rams are doing this college basketball season. The Mountain West team is one of seven undefeated D1 basketball teams. Even better, the Rams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The college basketball world already knew how surprisingly elite the Rams were when they hoisted the Paradise Jam Tournament Championship trophy. The Rams also won against Creighton, Mississippi State, and Sweet Sixteen side Oral Roberts. You could say there is a Cinderella candidate in Colorado State.
Yet the Rams have not won any games against ranked opponents. Their campaign lacks credibility. The issue will only swell due to their matches against Tulsa and Alabama getting canceled. The Rams will look to cement their status as a danger to Mountain West contemporaries. Many obstacles await them.
NIT SUCCESS
Can the Rams see NCAA success? Will they continue to hold their rank as March edges closer? Are the Rams legit? We should look back at Colorado State’s previous season to answer all of these questions.
Last year, the Rams went 14-4 in conference play, giving them the third-place seed in the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The Rams beat Fresno State by ten points in the quarterfinals but bounced out of the postseason at the hands of Utah State a game later. But there was a silver lining for the Rams. They were invited to the NIT. There, they would display their dominance.
Colorado State moved onto the quarterfinals after beating Buffalo by two. After that, they dispatched NC State in front of a national television audience. Sadly, that was the end of the line for Colorado State. A 23-point loss to Memphis put Colorado State in the third-place match. Their eighth loss would come from Louisiana Tech in the third-place game.
It shows that the Rams can achieve success even without playing against ranked, high-level opponents. The Rams will look to Loyola-Chicago to see how to succeed. Although the Ramblers did not beat a ranked team last season, they still earned the number 17 spot in the AP Top 25 ahead of March Madness.
PARADISE JAM
Colorado State is working towards the NCAA D1 basketball tournament. They started on the right foot in Paradise Jam. The Rams beat Bradley in the quarterfinals off superstar David Roddy’s 30 points, 10 rebounds outing. Roddy was at his best a game later against Creighton. He scored 36 points to help the Rams advance to the finals. After beating Northeastern in the final, they became Paradise Jam champions. Roddy won MVP honors.
Even if the title does not mean much, it vaulted them to some attention. It is one of the high points of the Rams’ season and will be significant in the bracketology carried out by the NCAA.
It will also send a message to the rest of the Mountain West. The standings are packed right now, as one slip could see the Rams tumble to the bottom of the table. Yet with the victories, the Rams show that it will take a good fight to best them.
COLORADO STATE’S CORPS
The Rams are led by 6’5’’ guard David Roddy, who will have one of his best basketball seasons this year. Roddy averages a whopping 20.5 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game, and a 46.9% three-point percentage rate. Roddy is the man for this explosive Colorado State team, and his numbers affirm this. He is also a defensive stalwart, averaging 1.3 blocks per game and 1.1 steals per game.
But the Rams have a lot of depth. Isaiah Stevens and John Tonje average above ten points per game and three rebounds per game.
Stevens’ role in coach Niko Medved’s offense is to be a dual-threat player. He is a pinpoint passer, averaging 7.7 assists per game. Stevens is also a solid shooter, having a 44% field goal percentage. On defense, he averages around two steals a game. Tonje is a dangerous shooter from range and on the inside. He is hard to guard because of his strength and agility on the perimeter.
But the beautiful thing is Colorado State is not a team of superstars.
The Rams are not your prestigious, blue-blood teams that play on ESPN every night. They are a mid-major side that has come out gritty, dangerous, and roaring over these last few games. Keep an eye out for them.
MOUNTAIN WEST
Unfortunately for the Rams, all of their non-conference matches have passed. Important games against Tulsa and Alabama are canceled due to COVID-related concerns. Yet this does not mean that the Rams’ season is ruined. They will look to dominate their opponents in conference competitions.
If everything goes the Rams’ way, they will face New Mexico (6-5) in their first conference match. Air Force (7-2) and Boise State (7-4) are next. Keep an eye on the Rams. They are coming out motivated and inspired. They are already a sleeper candidate to make a big upset in March Madness.
