Lions receive #3 rating in NCCAA
SAGU rises on strength of defense
Burbridge Power Rating System explained
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- A loss in their final pre-holiday game placed the men’s basketball team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University at #3 in this week’s Burbridge ratings within the National Christian College Athletic Association.
SAGU was #1 in the previous ratings after getting off to an 8-0 start. The Lions went 1-1 in their last weekend of action prior to the holiday break. They rolled past Huston-Tillotson University, 86-64, in Austin on December 10. Our Lady of the Lake University (8-3 record), ranked #24 in the most recent NAIA Coaches Poll, handed the Lions their first loss, 98-79, in San Antonio two days later.
The Burbridge Power Value Rating system is based on a team’s performances and their strength of schedule. Each game is rated on where it was played, the record of the opponent and whether the opposition was a member of the NCAA’s Division I, II or III, the NAIA I or II, the NCCAA I or II, or other organizations.
The Burbridge system is primarily used by the NCCAA since their 100+ members (Divisions I and II) belong to various associations. The weekly ratings are released by the NCCAA’s chief statistician, Gabriel Wallis.
It is not a poll of coaches, Sports Information Directors or the media, like the NCAA or the NAIA does throughout each season.
For comparison sake, it would be akin to the college football’s Bowl Championship Series rating system, though the BCS does allow for both computer input as well as voting results in polls.
NCCAA's Top 10 in Burbridge System
The national offices of the NCCAA, based in Greenville, South Carolina, announced this week’s Burbridge Power Ratings, which has 55 teams receiving points. There are over 60 Division I members. The leaders:
| RANK | SCHOOL (STATE) | WON-LOST | PCT. | BPR |
| 1 | Chowan Univ (NC) | 5-5 | .500 | 8.050 |
| 2 | North Greenville Univ (SC) | 4-2 | .667 | 8.000 |
| 3 | SW Assemblies (TX) | 9-1 | .900 | 7.889 |
| 4 | Azusa Pacific Univ (CA) | 7-2 | .778 | 7.833 |
| 5 | California Baptist (CA) | 5-1 | .833 | 7.667 |
| 6 | Campbellsville Univ (KY) | 9-3 | .750 | 7.583 |
| 7 | Dallas Baptist Univ (TX) | 9-4 | .692 | 7.538 |
| 8 | Indiana Wesleyan (IN) | 10-3 | .769 | 7.462 |
| 9 | Malone University (OH) | 7-4 | .636 | 7.455 |
| 10 | Bethel College (IN) | 9-4 | .692 | 7.385 |
Under new head coach Donnie Bostwick, the Lions have the fifth best offense in the NCCAA, averaging 81.8 points per game (ppg). They are excelling on the boards, grabbing 42.1 reboundsper game, which rates 4th best.
Defensively the Lions yield 67.6 ppg, ninth in the NCCAA. Two elements that contribute to their sparing so few points are making 13.2 steals per game as well as holding opposing shooters to 38.4 accuracy. Both figures rank #2 among member schools.
A year ago Southwestern permitted 86.6 ppg, which rated #118 in the NAIA. The improvement, keyed by a deeper bench, has led to the Lions’ climb in national ratings as well receiving 50 votes in the most recent NAIA Coaches Poll. That was good for a best-ever #27 ranking.
Big Match-up in Cowtown
The team returns to the court on Thursday, January 5, when they meet Texas Wesleyan University in Ft. Worth. Ranked #7 in the NAIA, the Rams are 6-2 overall and are tied with SAGU for third in the Red River Athletic Conference. Both are 3-1.
The Rams, along with LSU-Shreveport (5-5, 3-2 in RRAC) were picked as the teams to beat in the pre-season.
The University of St. Thomas and Our Lady of the Lake are knotted in first, each 5-0 in the RRAC. St. Thomas routed Wesleyan last week, 79-58, in Houston.
SAGU’s next home game is set for Saturday, Jan. 7. They will play host to Langston University at 7:30pm in their season debut on SAGU Sports Live. The HD broadcast can be accessed, free of charge, at www.sagu.tv.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, Sports Information Director, at
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or at 469-658-2847.
