KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The West Liberty University men’s basketball team was ranked No. 2 in the nation for the second consecutive week Tuesday afternoon when the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) released its weekly NCAA Division II Top 25.
After clinching their fifth straight Mountain East Conference championship with Saturday’s thrilling 110-107 overtime win against No. 16 Fairmont State on the Falcons’ home floor, Coach Ben Howlett’s surging Hilltoppers (24-2) trailed only unbeaten Nova Southeastern (23-0) in the nationwide balloting.
The top six spots remained unchanged this week. Indiana, Pa. (24-2), Lubbock Christian (23-2) and Augustana, S.D. (23-2) rounded out the top five, followed by Cal State-San Bernardino (20-2), Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. (22-3), UNC Pembroke (23-2), Queens, N.C. (23-3) and Augusta, Ga. (23-3).
Despite the loss to West Liberty, Fairmont State (20-5) dropped only one spot this week as the Falcons slipped from No. 16 to No. 17.
Winners of 10 straight and 20 of their last 21, the Hilltoppers tip off the final week of the regular season on Wednesday when they host a Notre Dame (Ohio) team that hung an 82-81 upset loss on the Black and Gold all the way back on Nov. 23. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. inside the ASRC.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
NCAA Division II Top 25
(February 22, 2022)
Team (FPV) Rec Pts Pvs
1. Nova Southeastern (16) 23-0 400 1
2. WEST LIBERTY 24-2 381 2
3. Indiana, Pa. 24-2 366 3
4. Lubbock Christian, Texas 23-2 349 4
5. Augustana, S.D. 23-2 337 5
6. CSU-San Bernardino 20-2 319 6
7. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 22-3 301 8
8. UNC Pembroke 23-2 278 9
9. Queens, N.C. 23-3 276 10
10. Augusta, Ga. 23-3 245 12
11. Chico State, Calif. 17-3 227 11
12. Minnesota-Duluth 23-4 222 12
13. NW Missouri State 23-4 212 7
14. Upper Iowa 24-4 200 15
15. Central Oklahoma 22-4 175 18
16. Mercyhurst, Pa. 22-4 158 19
17. FAIRMONT STATE 20-5 128 16
18. Fort Hays State, Kan. 21-4 124 22
19. CSU-San Marcos 15-4 100 14
20. Bentley, Mass. 18-4 79 17
21. Flagler, Fla. 20-5 66 21
22. West Texas A&M 23-6 62 NR
23. Miles, Ala. 22-3 53 NR
24. St. Thomas Aquinas, N.Y. 22-4 38 NR
25. Ferris State, Mich. 20-6 34 20
Also receiving votes: Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 21, Michigan Tech 17, Truman State (Mo.) 15, Georgia College 10, West Alabama 6, Black Hills State (S.D.) 1