Gannon University
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men's basketball
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press release
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NABC Division II Top 25
Sports
Information Department, Dan Teliski, Director
Phone: (814) 871-7418
Date: February 12, 2008
GANNON MEN'S BASKETBALL MOVES TO
EIGHTH IN LATEST NATIONAL RANKINGS
KNIGHTS TO PLAY IN FIRST TOP-10 MATCH-UP SINCE 1987 TITLE GAME
ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon
men’s basketball team moved up two spots and is ranked eighth in the latest
National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Top 25 Poll
released Tuesday afternoon. It marks Gannon’s highest national ranking since
being tabbed sixth in the February 15, 1988 poll.
The top three teams remained unchanged. Bentley (Mass.) (22-0) and Grand
Valley State (26-0) stayed No. 1 and No. 2 in the national poll. They are
the only undefeated teams left in NCAA Division II. Bentley received six
first-place votes while Grand Valley State captured the remaining two.
Winona State (Minn.) (25-1), Alaska-Anchorage (19-3), and Northern State
(S.D.) (22-2) complete the top five. South Carolina Aiken (19-2), Findlay
(20-3), Gannon (21-2), Drury (Mo.) (18-3), and South Dakota (19-2) round
out the top 10.
The latest rankings also set up a historic battle Saturday, February 16 at
the University of Findlay. Gannon will be involved in a game that features
two top-10 teams for only the fourth time in the program’s 64-year history
and for only the second time during the regular season.
Gannon last participated in a game between two top-10 teams in the 1987 NCAA
Division II National Championship Game on March 21, 1987. No. 9 Kentucky
Wesleyan won the national title with a 92-74 victory over No. 7 Gannon.
No. 7 Gannon defeated No. 1 Millersville 85-82 two weeks earlier on March
7, 1987 in the NCAA Division II East Region Championship Game at the Hammermill
Center.
Gannon’s only regular-season game in school history between two top-10 teams
saw No. 1 Kentucky Wesleyan post a 106-81 home victory over No. 10 Gannon
on January 11, 1969.
The new rankings also feature three teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in the top 10 for the second consecutive week.
Plus, five Great Lakes region teams sit in the top 25 as Drury (Mo.) is tabbed
ninth while Kentucky Wesleyan is listed 22nd.
Gannon is listed among the nation’s top 10 for the third time in the last
20 seasons, including twice this season. The only other top-10 ranking during
that time span besides this season was January 28, 2002 when the Golden Knights
were tabbed ninth. Overall, the program has received a top-10 ranking 42
times in the history of the national poll.
Gannon moved its record to 21-2 overall and 13-1 in the GLIAC after a pair
of home victories last week against GLIAC South Division foes, defeating
Hillsdale (90-75 in ot) and Wayne State (73-47). The Golden Knights have
matched the best 23-game record in school history. No Gannon team has ever
been 22-1 or 23-0 after 23 games. The only other teams in school history
to be 21-2 were the 1999-00 squad that went 21-2 before suffering its third
loss and the 1974-75 team that went 23-2 before receiving its third defeat.
The squad also clinched its first GLIAC Quarterfinal home game since 2003-04
with its victory last Thursday against Hillsdale. The Golden Knights return
to action Thursday, February 14 at Ashland before its showdown at Findlay.
Game time at Ashland 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 2/12/08 by: drt
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