MCC News
Mon, Nov 30, 2009 - [Men's Basketball]

Five MCC schools were able to improve on their preseason ranking in the first edition of the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 poll, released by the national office on Monday.

After beginning the year with six consecutive, wins Bethel inches up one spot to No. 2. The Pilots are just nine points behind leader Oklahoma Wesleyan who earned all 15 first place votes and is rated in the top spot for the sixth consecutive poll dating back to last season.

Bethel is 1-0 in league play with a one point victory over Grace last Tuesday and is currently one of five undefeated teams in the top 25.

 

Making the biggest jump of any conference member, Huntington propelled to the 12th position after appearing in the receiving votes section of the preseason poll. The Foresters have outscored their opponents by almost 19 points per game on their way to a 9-0 start. Yet to record a conference tilt, Huntington will open league play with Taylor on Tuesday.

 
With a 6-2 record, the University of Saint Francis garnered 129 points and sole possession of the 22nd spot after being tied at 23 in the preseason poll. The one spot improvement was despite receiving 169 fewer votes in this week's poll.
   
Spring Arbor joined Huntington and four other schools as a new member of the top 25 list. The Cougars grabbed the last spot in the poll after a 6-2 start, highlighted by a win over Robert Morris University (Ill.), who was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Division I poll at the time, in the second game of the season.
   
Goshen College (6-3, 1-0 MCC) knocked off then-ranked No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan in the MCC opener to grab 14 votes in the poll.