It's a mad, mad, mad Front Range madness for college basketball

Senior center Colton Iverson had good reason to celebrate Wednesday night, when No. 24-ranked Colorado State defeated San Diego State at Moby Arena in Fort Collins. Iverson had 11 rebounds in the 66-60 victory. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

College basketball's Selection Sunday is on St. Patrick's Day this year. If nothing else, it should give sports bars something on TV to show all of their extra visitors.

More important for basketball fans, there could be rooting interest up and down the Front Range.

Already this week, Colorado and Colorado State have drawn sellout crowds in crucial conferences games. Around here, it's February Madness for the first time in a long time.

CU, CSU, the University of Denver and Air Force are primed to make a run for men's NCAA Tournament berths.

All of those teams are in action this weekend ? some against each other.

You can watch No. 24-ranked Colorado State take on surprising Air Force, Colorado host Arizona State and undefeated Metro State, ranked No. 1 in Division II, play crosstown rival Regis.

DU, contending for a Western Athletic Conference title, plays at San Jose State. And the No. 21-ranked CU women's team plays at Arizona State.

CSU entered The Associated Press poll this week for the first time since 1954. The last time the Rams were nationally ranked, they weren't even the Rams ? they were the Aggies in 1954.

CSU justified its slot in the rankings with a 66-60 victory over San Diego State in Fort Collins on Wednesday.

"You've got to have the maturity to handle slaps on the back," first-year CSU coach Larry Eustachy told The Denver Post this week.

Air Force, CSU's opponent Saturday at Clune Arena, was picked to finish last in the Mountain West this season. But the Falcons have been the conference's surprise team. They routed UNLV 71-56 on Wednesday at the academy.

CU, which played Thursday night in Boulder against No. 9 Arizona, plays another Pac-12 home game Saturday against Arizona State. The Sun Devils have done a 180 this season, going from 10-21 last season to 18-7.

The Buffaloes, meanwhile, are winning with defense and rebounding. CU was allowing the fewest points per game in conference play at 64.2 entering Thursday. CU junior Andre Roberson is the Pac-12 leader in rebounds and steals.

DU is tied for second place in the WAC, trailing Louisiana Tech.

Division II power Metro State is one of only two men's teams in the nation, at any level of NCAA ball, still undefeated.

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Hooked on hoops

Several contending Colorado college basketball teams are in action this weekend:

Saturday
No. 24 CSU at Air Force, 2 p.m.
No. 1 Metro State (Division II) at Regis, 3 p.m. Arizona State at CU, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
DU at San Jose State, 8 p.m.

Sunday
No. 21 CU women at Arizona State, 2 p.m.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dp-sports/~3/BdBpHiaBsWg/its-mad-mad-mad-front-range-madness

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