Men's Basketball | 12/3/2019 3:22:00 PM

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) ranked the high-scoring West Liberty University men at No. 14 for the second consecutive week on Tuesday when the third weekly poll of the regular season was released.
    Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers (5-1) breezed to a 96-70 victory against Notre Dame (Ohio) in their only action of Thanksgiving Week to solidify their hold on yet another week among the nation's Top 25.
    It's the 147^th consecutive Top 25 appearance for the West Liberty men, who have appeared in every NCAA Division II Top 25 poll since Feb. 2, 2010. That decade-long run is by far the longest in NCAA Division II history. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) had the second-longest streak of 95 weeks, running from Dec. 7, 2010 to Dec. 13, 2016.
    Northwest Missouri State (7-0) once again received all 16 first-place votes as the unanimous No. 1 pick. The Bearcats have won 45 consecutive games dating back to last year's 38-0 national championship season. West Liberty was one of three Atlantic Region teams to crack the Top 25 this week. Indiana, Pa. (6-0) also stayed put at No. 6 with West Chester, Pa. (8-0) checking in at No. 25.
    Averaging just under 110 points per game, Howlett and his Hilltoppers are scheduled to hit the ASRC boards again on Wednesday when they host West Virginia Wesleyan in Mountain East Conference action. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
       Team (FPV)                                                 Rec          Pts       Pvs
  1. NW Missouri State (16)                          7-0         400           1
  2. Nova Southeastern (Fla.)                       4-0         377           2
  3. Bellarmine (Ky.)                                        5-0         366           3
  4. UC-San Diego                                            8-0         353           4
  5. West Texas A&M                                     8-0         344           5
  6. Indiana (Pa.)                                              6-0         320           6
  7. Alabama-Huntsville                                 6-0         298           8
  8. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)                       8-1         278           9
  9. Southern Indiana                                     5-0         272         10
10. Ashland (Ohio)                                         6-0         258         11
11. Daemen (N.Y.)                                          8-1         221         13
12. Queens (N.C.)                                           6-1         219         12
13. Indianapolis (Ind.)                                    7-0         188         17
14. WEST LIBERTY                                          5-1         186         14
15. Missouri Southern                                   5-1         161         15
16. Dixie State (Utah)                                    6-0         141         21
17. St. Edward's (Texas)                                6-1         123         18
18. SE Oklahoma State                                  4-0         105         20
19. Dallas Baptist (Texas)                              5-0         101         22
20. Saint Anselm (N.H.)                                 5-1           95         19
21. Dominican (N.Y.)                                      7-0           69        NR
22. Florida Southern                                      6-1           64         24
23. Ferris State (Mich.)                               10-1           59         23
24. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)                                5-1           36         25
25. West Chester (Pa.)                                  8-0           33        NR
       Others receiving votes: Valdosta State (Ga.) 32, Angelo State (Texas) 30, St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) 25, New Mexico Highlands 11, Bentley (Mass.) 9, Western Oregon 6, Augustana (S.D.) 5, Northeastern State (Okla.) 4, Pitt-Johnstown (Pa.) 3, Lynn (Fla.) 2, Georgia Southwestern 1, Pace (N.Y.) 1