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Hustlin' Owls Up to No. 3 In Coaches Top 25 Poll

01.18.2010

Bumping up four spots with 375 total points is No. 3 Oregon Tech, the Hustlin’ Owls have the most wins in Division II with an 18-3 mark. Oregon Tech is enjoying its highest ranking yet this season thanks to a current seven-game winning streak.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Behind a NAIA-record 35-game winning streak, No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan remains at No. 1 in the fifth edition of the 2009-2010 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 poll, announced Monday by the NAIA office. Oklahoma Wesleyan is the only undefeated team in Division II at 17-0 and corralled all 15 of the first-place votes. The Eagles have gone nearly a year without a loss dating back to Jan. 20, 2009 against College of the Ozarks (Mo.).

The defending national champions have now been ranked the top team for the last 10 polls. Oklahoma Wesleyan has another busy week with three contests beginning with a home game versus Central Bible College (Mo.) on Tuesday. For much of this season, the Eagles have led the NAIA in 3-pointer’s made per game (13.2).

No. 2 Walsh (Ohio) gathered 392 points this week. At 16-1, the Cavs have won six straight since their only loss against then-No. 20 St. Francis (Ind.) on Dec. 18.

Despite going 1-1 last week, Bethel (Ind.) stayed at No. 4 with 359 points. The Pilots dropped a 79-73 road decision at Taylor (Ind.) on Saturday to fall to 17-3 overall. Of their 17 wins, the Pilots have won in convincing fashion by an average of over 16 points.

The leaders of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, Briar Cliff (Iowa) leaps up three positions to No. 5 this week. With 358 total points and a 16-3 overall record, the Chargers are in their highest position yet this season. In its current five-game winning streak, Briar Cliff has won by at least 15 points in three of those contests.

Two teams enter the Top 25 after sitting out last time: No. 20 Bellevue (Neb.) and No. 24 Black Hills State (S.D.). Bellevue has one of the nation’s longest winning streaks at 11 straight while BHSU has taken six of its last eight games.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The sixth regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Monday, Jan. 25.

NOTES: No. 3 Oregon Tech boasts the most wins in Division II with 18… No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan has earned all first-place votes in each of the last five polls… No. 2 Walsh (Ohio) has held the second spot for each of the last four polls… Oklahoma Wesleyan now has been ranked No. 1 on 10 occasions since 2000 trailing only these teams: Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (17), Oregon Tech (12) and Jamestown (N.D.) (11) for the most since 2000… Oregon Tech and Walsh (Ohio) own the Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 57 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005.

Click below to view the Poll

http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/011810aad.html