Gannon University
|
|
|
|
men's basketball
|
|
|
press release
|
NABC Division II Top 25
Sports
Information Department, Dan Teliski, Director
Phone: (814) 871-7418
Date: February 5, 2008
GANNON MEN'S BASKETBALL JUMPS
FIVE SPOTS INTO NATIONAL TOP 10
GOLDEN KNIGHTS ENTER TOP 10 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2001-02
ERIE, Pa. - The climb
to the top continues for the Gannon men’s basketball team. The Golden Knights
jumped five spots and are ranked 10th in the latest National Association
of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll released Tuesday
afternoon.
The new rankings provided two feats that have not been accomplished for awhile.
First, Gannon entered the national top 10 for the first time since January
28, 2002. Second, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
became the first conference to have three top-10 teams since the Great Lakes
Valley Conference (GLVC) had St. Joseph’s (Ind.), SIU Edwardsville and Southern
Indiana in the February 14, 2006 top 10.
The top five teams remained unchanged. Bentley (Mass.) (20-0) and Grand Valley
State (24-0) stayed No. 1 and No. 2 in the national poll. They are the only
undefeated teams left in NCAA Division II. Bentley received five first-place
votes while Grand Valley State captured the remaining three.
Winona State (Minn.) (23-1), South Dakota (19-1), and Alaska Anchorage (18-3)
completed the top five.
Northern State (S.D.) (20-2), South Carolina Aiken (17-2), Findlay (18-3),
Southwestern Oklahoma State (17-3), and Gannon (19-2) rounded out the top
10.
Five Great Lakes Region teams are listed among the nation’s top 25. Grand
Valley State (2nd), Findlay (8th), and Gannon (10th) represent the Great
Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Drury (11th) and Kentucky
Wesleyan (24th) from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) are also listed
in the poll.
Gannon is listed among the nation’s top 10 for only the second time in the
last 20 seasons. The only other top-10 ranking during that time span was
January 28, 2002 when the Golden Knights were tabbed ninth. Overall, the
program has received a top-10 ranking 34 times in the history of the national
poll.
Gannon moved its record to 19-2 overall and 11-1 in the GLIAC after a pair
of home victories last week against GLIAC North Division foes, defeating
Saginaw Valley State (74-62) and Northwood (63-47). The Golden Knights have
matched the best 21-game record in school history. No Gannon team has ever
been 20-1 or 21-0 after 21 games.
The squad also clinched its first GLIAC Tournament spot since 2004-05 with
its victory last Saturday against Northwood. The Golden Knights can clinch
their first GLIAC quarterfinal home game since 2003-04 with a victory Thursday
night against Hillsdale. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The contest
can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the Internet at http://www.gannon.edu/sports/werg/knightsound.ihtml.
The complete NABC/Division II Coaches Poll can be found at http://campus.mst.edu/athleticsarchives/hoops/d2basketball/bbpoll.html.
Gannon University~University Square ~ Erie, PA 16541-0001
Toll Free: 1-800-GANNON-U
Sports Press Box E-mail
updated 2/5/08 by: drt
|
|