NABC Division II Poll: BSU climbs to #11; VUU enters at #25

NABC Division II Poll:  Bowie State climbs to #11; Va Union enters at #25

December 7, 2010

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Wins over two teams in last week’s Top 25 has vaulted Bellarmine to the No. 1 spot in the NABC/Division II men’s basketball rankings for the first time in school history, after previously top-ranked Cal Poly Pomona suffered a pair of losses over the weekend.
 
The Knights, who went on the road to defeat No. 11 Kentucky Wesleyan and No. 22 Southern Indiana last week, earned five of the eight first place votes to land the top spot ahead of Findlay, whom they were tied with at No. 2 last week.  The Oilers opened their Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule on a winning note last week as well.
 
As a result of Cal Poly Pomona’s losses and setbacks by three other teams in the top 10 last week, the top half of the rankings saw a significant shuffle.  Winona State moved up a spot to No. 3, while West Liberty and Montevallo enter the top five for the first time as they also remained undefeated into December.  Fort Hays State, which has won its first eight games by an average of more than 24 points a game, comes in at No. 6 and is followed by Indiana (Pa.), South Carolina Aiken, Alabama-Huntsville and Augusta State.
 
The second ten begins with Bowie State, who pulled out an overtime win over Mansfield last week to remain perfect at 5-0.  Central Washington made a 12-spot jump to No. 12 after winning three times a week ago, then Tarleton State, Grand Valley State and Central Oklahoma took the next three positions.  Cal Poly Pomona landed at No. 16 in the rankings after the two setbacks, with Hillsdale, Kentucky Wesleyan, Cal State-Dominiguez Hills – who handed the Broncos the first of the two losses – and Southern Indiana checking in behind Cal Poly Ponoma,
 
Minnesota State is the highest ranked team this week that is making its debut in the 2010-11 rankings at No. 21, while the last four spots are occupied by Merrimack, Northern Kentucky, Lincoln Memorial and Virginia Union.  NKU, who was ranked 20th prior to its loss to Southern Indiana last week, is the only team among the last five that has been ranked in a regular season poll this season.
 
NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (December 7, 2010 – Poll #3)
Record Points Pvs
1. Bellarmine, Ky. (5 first place votes) 5-0 197 T2
2. Findlay, Ohio (3 first place votes) 6-0 191 T2
3. Winona State, Minn. 5-0 184 4
4. West Liberty, W.Va. 7-0 177 7
5. Montevallo, Ala. 6-0 162 10
6. Fort Hays State, Kan. 8-0 150 14
7. Indiana, Pa. 3-1 134 9
8. South Carolina Aiken 5-1 124 5
9. Alabama-Huntsville 8-1 120 6
10. Augusta State, Ga. 6-0 112 18
11. Bowie State, Md. 5-0 108 19
12. Central Washington 7-0 105 24
13. Tarleton State, Texas 6-1 103 17
14. Grand Valley State, Mich. 5-1 95 16
15. Central Oklahoma 8-1 88 8
16. Cal Poly Pomona 1-2 85 1
17. Hillsdale, Mich. 8-0 80 25
18. Kentucky Wesleyan 5-1 72 11
19. Cal State-Dominguez Hills 6-1 51 15
20. Southern Indiana 5-1 40 22
21. Minnesota State 6-0 39 NR
22. Merrimack, Mass. 6-1 32 NR
23. Northern Kentucky 5-1 25 20
24. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 7-0 21 NR
25. Virginia Union 2-0 15 NR
 
Others receiving votes: Incarnate Word (Texas) 13, Central Missouri 12, Midwestern State (Texas) 11, Bentley (Mass.) 10, Eckerd (Fla.) 9, Flagler (Fla.) 8, Winston-Salem State (N.C.) 8, Christian Brothers (Tenn.) 7, Missouri Southern 6, Drury (Mo.) 5, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 2, Rollins (Fla.) 1.
 
Dropped out: Central Missouri (12), Rollins (13), Arkansas Tech (21), Chaminade (23).
 
Records are through games of Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010.