FHSU Men's Basketball Slips to No. 9 in Latest National Rankings

Following its one-point loss at Missouri Western this past Saturday, the Tiger basketball team slipped to No. 9 in the latest NCAA Division II National Rankings released Tuesday (Dec. 14). The Tigers climbed all the way to No. 6 in the nation last week and started the year 9-0 before suffering their first setback. The Tigers have yet another dangerous road game this week in MIAA play at Northwest Missouri State.

The Tigers remain the highest nationally ranked team from the South Central Region, which now has five teams in the polls. Central Oklahoma of the Lone Star Conference, a future MIAA school when the league expands, checks in at No. 13 this week with an identical mark to the Tigers of 9-1.

Incarnate Word of the Heartland Conference makes their first appearance in the poll this year at No. 21 with an 8-0 mark thus far. Incarnate Word knocked off Central Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago.

Midwestern State of the Lone Star Conference jumps back into the rankings this week at No. 24. The defending South Central Regional champion was knocked from the national rankings early in the year following a loss in the season opener against Fort Hays State. The Mustangs have reeled off five straight victories since. They were the No. 20 ranked team in the preseason rankings.

Missouri Southern, the lone unbeaten team overall in the MIAA, finally jumps into the rankings this week at No. 25. The Lions are off to an 8-0 start and sit at 4-0 in the conference so far. The Lions will be challenged for the top spot in the conference standings on Saturday when they play at Southwest Baptist in a battle of unbeatens in conference play.

Fort Hays State will have another hungry team looking to knock them off this week in Northwest Missouri State. Northwest Missouri handed FHSU its first Division II and MIAA loss last year in Maryville after the Tigers started 2009-10 at 17-1 overall and 11-0 in the MIAA. The Tigers were No. 3 in the nation at the time of that loss. The Tigers will be trying to stop a repeat of history, but the Bearcats are always tough on their home floor despite their 2-6 overall and 0-4 MIAA start. The Bearcats had to play their first four conference games on the road this year.