Men's basketball opens season ranked No. 13
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team will open the 2012-13 season ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll announced today (Oct. 23).
NAIA Release | 2012-13 Men's Basketball Schedule
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team will open the 2012-13 season ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll announced today (Oct. 23).
The Bruins return three letterwinners from last season's 28-6 squad that won the MCAC regular season and tournament titles, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the 10th-straight season.
Highlighting BU's returnees is 6-2 senior guard Blake Zamudio who led the team with a 94.7 free throw percentage last season while averaging 6.3 ppg and 2.4 rpg. Also returning for the Bruins include sophomore forwards Derrick Davis (4.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and Olutola Olushola (2.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg).
Northwood (Fla.) earns the No. 1 ranking in the 2012-13 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. Northwood holds the distinction by one vote (332-331) over second-ranked and defending national champion Oregon Tech. The Seahawks, who finished 34-4 last year with the final defeat coming in the national title game, gathered five first-place votes. Oregon Tech came away with six first-place nods after winning its third national championship a year ago.
Capturing the remaining two first-place votes, No. 3 Dordt (Iowa) tallied 327 total points. The Defenders made it to the round-of-eight in last year's national championship. The Bruins will open the season by hosting the Defenders on Tues., Oct. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear purple as the game is designated as "Purple Out Night with the Bruins."
No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan (21-12) and No. 5 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) both made the tournament last year. The Wildcats fell in the first round, while Cardinal Stritch lost in the quarterfinals.
There are eight newcomers when compared to the last poll released on March 19, 2012 (Postseason Top 25): No. 9 Eastern Oregon, No. 14 Saint Xavier (Ill.), No. 16 Embry-Riddle (Fla.), No. 17 Tennessee Wesleyan, No. 19 William Penn (Iowa), No. 21 Spring Arbor (Mich.), No. 23 Southern Oregon and No. 24 Valley City State (N.D.).
The Cascade Collegiate Conference sends the most teams in the Top 25 with four: Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, No. 15 Warner Pacific (Ore.) and Southern Oregon. Three other conferences boast a trio of schools in the poll. Overall, all 14 conferences and independents are represented this week.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The first regular-season Coaches' Top 25 Poll will be announced on Nov. 27, 2012.
NOTES: (All information dates back to 1999 - 2000) Top-ranked Northwood (Fla.) claims its second-straight No. 1 preseason ranking... The Seahawks have been No. 1 or 2 in each of the last 20 polls dating back to the 2010 - 11 season... Switching over to NAIA Division II, No. 14 Saint Xavier (Ill.) is ranked for the first time since being a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, which was a NAIA Division I member... No. 19 William Penn (Iowa) is ranked for the first time since Jan. 18, 2010 (No. 14)... Oregon Tech has spent 22-straight polls ranked in the top 10, dating back to Jan. 10, 2011... Embry-Riddle (Fla.) owns the most No. 1 rankings since 2000 with 17; Oregon Tech is next with 15, followed by Oklahoma Wesleyan and former NAIA member Walsh (Ohio) at 12 mentions each; Northwood is right behind with 11 listings... Oregon Tech is listed with the longest active streak in the Top 25 at 89-straight weeks - the last time the Hustlin' Owls were not ranked was on Jan. 11, 2005... In second place is Northwood with 54-consecutive mentions and right behind is Davenport (Mich.) with 38-straight.
2012 - 13 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll - (Oct. 23)
|
RANK |
LAST WEEK^ |
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) |
2012-13 RECORD |
TOTAL POINTS |
|
1 |
2 |
Northwood (Fla.) (5) |
34-4 |
332 |
|
2 |
1 |
Oregon Tech (6) |
34-4 |
331 |
|
3 |
5 |
Dordt (Iowa) (2) |
30-5 |
327 |
|
4 |
16 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
21-12 |
311 |
|
5 |
6 |
Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) |
30-6 |
287 |
|
6 |
13 |
Indiana Southeast |
26-8 |
281 |
|
7 |
9 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
26-7 |
267 |
|
8 |
12 |
Grace (Ind.) |
24-8 |
256 |
|
9 |
RV |
Eastern Oregon |
19-11 |
252 |
|
10 |
15 |
Warner (Fla.) |
24-11 |
249 |
|
11 |
3 |
Davenport (Mich.) |
32-5 |
223 |
|
12 |
22 |
Saint Mary (Kan.) |
25-6 |
222 |
|
13 |
8 |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
28-6 |
213 |
|
14 |
RV |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
23-9 |
205 |
|
15 |
14 |
Warner Pacific (Ore.) |
24-9 |
190 |
|
16 |
NR |
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) |
17-15 |
150 |
|
17 |
RV |
Tennessee Wesleyan |
24-10 |
145 |
|
18 |
4 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
33-4 |
134 |
|
19 |
RV |
William Penn (Iowa) |
17-15 |
129 |
|
20 |
25 |
Cornerstone (Mich.) |
19-13 |
128 |
|
21 |
NR |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
18-14 |
119 |
|
22 |
23 |
Indiana East |
24-8 |
105 |
|
23 |
NR |
Southern Oregon |
17-13 |
101 |
|
24 |
RV |
Valley City State (N.D.) |
20-10 |
79 |
|
25 |
21 |
Indiana Tech |
23-8 |
64 |
Others receiving votes: St. Thomas (Fla.) 62; Taylor (Ind.) 48; Mount Mercy (Iowa) 46; Northwest (Wash.) 39; Jamestown (N.D.) 29; Central Christian (Kan.) 24; Midland (Neb.) 23; Cal Maritime 15; Saint Francis (Ind.) 8; Asbury (Ky.) 7; Madonna (Mich.) 7; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 5; Reinhardt (Ga.) 5; Morningside (Iowa) 3.
^ indicates the March 19, 2012 Postseason Top 25 Poll