Men's Basketball | 1/4/2022 4:18:00 PM

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Another week and another Top 10 ranking for the West Liberty University men's basketball team.
    Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers (11-1) checked in at No. 8 for the second consecutive week on Tuesday afternoon when the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) released the sixth NCAA Division II weekly poll of the 2021-22 regular season. It marked the 158^th Top 10 ranking all-time for the WLU program and the 194^th Top 25 appearance for the Black and Gold.
    West Liberty rolled to its seventh straight win on Monday, coasting past Bowie State (Md.), 108-85, in the Hilltoppers' final non-conference test of the season.
    Lubbock Christian (12-0) stayed locked in at No. 1 this week despite having both of its games postponed due to COVID-19 issues while defending national champion Northwest Missouri State (12-1) won its only game to hang onto the No. 2 spot. Three unbeaten – Nova Southeastern (12-0), Chico State (10-0) and Minnesota-Duluth (14-0) – completed the Top 5.
    Cal State-San Bernardino (10-1), Mercyhurst (10-1) and the Hilltoppers occupied the Nos. 6-8 spot for the second straight week with Cal State-San Marcos (10-0) and Indiana, Pa. (9-1) rounding out the Top 10.
    West Liberty wasn't the only MEC program gaining national attention. Fairmont State (9-2) moved up one spot to No. 23 while Charleston (9-2) is once again listed among teams also receiving votes.
    Mountain East Conference action resumes on Wednesday when the Hilltoppers host Concord in a 7:30 p.m. game inside the ASRC.
       Team (FPV)                                                 Rec          Pts       Pvs
  1. Lubbock Christian, Texas (13)             12-0         395           1
  2. NW Missouri State (2)                          12-1         386           2
  3. Nova Southeastern, Fla. (1)                 12-0         370           4
  4. Chico State, Calif.                                   10-0         348           5
  5. Minnesota-Duluth                                 14-0         324           9
  6. Cal State-San Bernardino                     10-1         314           6
  7. Mercyhurst, Pa.                                     10-1         289           7
  8. WEST LIBERTY                                        10-1         283           8
  9. Cal State-San Marcos                            10-0         270         11
10. Indiana, Pa.                                               9-1         256         10
11. West Texas A&M                                   14-2         252           3
12. Augusta, Ga.                                           10-1         224         12
13. Dominican, N.Y.                                       9-1         202         14
14. Queens, N.C.                                          11-2         173         16
15. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn.                      10-2         162         17
16. Truman State, Mo.                                  9-2         132         19
17. Regis, Colo.                                             10-1         124         20
18. Barry, Fla.                                                  9-2         115         15
19. Upper Iowa                                             12-2           95         13
20. Hillsdale, Mich.                                         9-2           91         21
21. Georgia College                                     10-1           86         25
22. Embry-Riddle, Fla.                                 11-3           53         18
23. FAIRMONT STATE                                   9-2           46         24
24. UNC Pembroke                                        9-1           41        NR
25. Flagler, Fla.                                                9-2           35        NR
     Others receiving votes: Texas A&M-Commerce 23, Union (Tenn.) 19, Augustana (S.D.) 18, Ferris State (Mich.) 15, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 11, Central Oklahoma 10, West Florida 10, Angelo State (Texas) 8, MSU-Denver (Colo.) 6, Bentley (Mass.) 5, Texas-Tyler 4, CHARLESTON 2, Black Hills State (S.D.) 2, Emporia State (Kan.) 1.