NABC Coaches Put WLU Men Back in Top 10
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The West Liberty University men’s basketball team jumped up four spots and returned to the Top 10 on Tuesday when the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) released its third NCAA Division II Top 25 poll of the 2021-22 regular season.
After rolling to three straight wins a week ago, Coach Ben Howlett’s Hilltoppers (7-1) vaulted from No. 14 to No. 10 in this week’s balloting. It’s the 155th time West Liberty has earned a Top 10 national ranking in the coaches poll and the 191st Top 25 appearance overall.
Unbeaten Lubbock Christian (7-0) stayed put at No. 1 for the third straight week, pulling 14 of the 16 first-place votes despite not having played a game since Nov. 27. Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State (8-1) stayed at No. 2 with the other two first-place votes while Mercyhurst, Pa. (7-0), West Texas A&M (10-1) and Nova Southeastern, Fla. (5-0) completing the Top 5.
Indiana, Pa. (7-0) was next at No. 6, followed by Chico State, Calif. (7-0), Augusta, Ga. (7-0), Queens, N.C. (7-1) and West Liberty.
Fairmont State (6-1), dropped from No. 9 to No. 17 this week following an 87-70 loss to unranked Charleston. The Golden Eagles (7-1), winners of seven straight and the only Mountain East Conference team without a league loss, are once again among teams receiving votes.
That sets up the game of the week in the MEC on Wednesday when West Liberty hosts the streaking Charleston squad to the ASRC for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
NCAA Division II Top 25
(Dec. 7, 2021)
Team (FPV) Rec Pts Pvs
1. Lubbock Christian (14) 7-0 398 1
2. NW Missouri State (2) 8-1 384 2
3. Mercyhurst, Pa. 7-0 361 3
4. West Texas A&M 10-1 334 5
5. Nova Southeastern, Fla. 5-0 332 6
6. Indiana, Pa. 7-0 328 7
7. Chico State, Calif. 7-0 317 8
8. Augusta, Ga. 7-0 291 10
9. Queens (N.C.) 7-1 233 4
10. WEST LIBERTY 7-1 212 14
11. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 7-1 208 15
12. Barry, Fla. 7-0 195 22
13. Cal State-San Bernardino 7-1 169 11
14. Dominican, N.Y. 8-0 158 24
15. Hillsdale, Mich. 6-1 155 16
16. Embry-Riddle, Fla. 9-1 148 18
17. FAIRMONT STATE 6-1 129 9
18. Angelo State, Texas 7-1 119 12
19. Truman State, Mo. 6-2 111 20
20. Ferris State, Mich. 7-1 98 23
21. Union, Tenn. 8-0 86 NR
22. Minnesota-Duluth 9-0 81 NR
23. Cal State-San Marcos 7-0 70 NR
24. Grand Valley State, Mich. 6-1 66 13
25. Minnesota State 7-1 53 17
Others receiving votes: Union (Tenn.) 48, Augustana (S.D.) 34, Cal State-San Marcos 24, Flagler (Fla.) 19, MSU-Denver (Colo.) 12, Alabama-Huntsville 10, Pace (N.Y.) 10, Stonehill (Mass.) 9, Emmanuel (Ga.) 8, Missouri-St. Louis 8, Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 5, Minnesota-Duluth 5, CHARLESTON 4, Valdosta State (Ga.) 4, Georgia College 3, Rogers State (Okla.) 3, Dallas Baptist (Texas) 2, Millersville (Pa.) 2, Central Washington 1, Oklahoma Baptist 1.