Lion hoopsters climb to #20 in NAIA
Highest ranking yet for SAGU
Face LSU-Shreveport at home Dec. 13
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- The men’s basketball team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University moved up to #20 in this week’s Top 25 Coaches Poll in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). It is the highest ranking ever for the Lions.
SAGU began the season at #26 and rose six spots prior to Monday night’s home game against Texas College, who were #27 in this week’s poll. The Steers, now 8-1, defeated the Lions by a 71-58 count. The defeat didn't count against this week's poll.
For SAGU, they are one of two teams from the Red River Athletic Conference to make the Top 25 and one of four to receive votes.
Texas Wesleyan University is ranked #11 this week. The Rams also jumped up six places. They defeated the defending RRAC champion Our Lady of the Lake University, 89-71, on Monday to improve to 7-1.
Besides Texas College (8-1), Wiley College, who were 7-2 before Monday, also made the list in the category of Others Receiving Votes.
The Lions, who enjoyed their first winning season in over a decade last year, are participating in their final season in the RRAC.
Next year they will move to the Sooner Athletic Conference, which leads the nation with five teams in this week's Top 25. (See the entire poll below)
Both OLLU and LSU-Shreveport were in the Pre-Season Poll, the Saints at #7 and the Pilot receiving votes, though both have dropped out with two or more losses.
LSUS visits Waxahachie next week, Thursday, December 13, for the Lions final home game of 2012. Last year the River Pilots finished the year ranked #7 following a 27-8 record.
SAGU split the series with LSUS, winning at home, 64-59. The game will begin with a 7:30pm opening tip.
The Lions will be in Oklahoma this weekend. They will tangle with Bacone College on Saturday and will meet Langston University next Monday, December 10. Both will start at approximately 7:30pm (CST).
After the clash with LSU-Shreveport next week, the Lions have another pair of road contests before breaking for the holidays.
On Saturday, Dec. 15, SAGU travels to Hobbs, New Mexico to face the University of the Southwest before going up against #11 Texas Wesleyan on Monday, Dec. 17.
The next polls will be announced on Dec. 11 and again on January 8.
Teams from the Golden State Athletic Conference are missing because the ballot was not submitted by the deadline.
The GSAC had three teams in the Pre-Season Poll, including #1 Concordia University, #8 Westmont College and #13 Biola University.
Currently, Hope International lead the league with a 10-1 mark, followed by Westmont (7-1), Arizona Christian (3-1), Biola (7-3), The Master’s College (7-3), Concordia (5-3), Vanguard University (6-4) and San Diego Christian (3-3).
Concordia has lost to a pair of ranked teams, including #1 Oklahoma Baptist University, 88-81, on Saturday.
SAGU has played three teams from the GSAC in the past year, Westmont, Hope and Master's. The Lions lost to Westmont in overtime last month and topped Hope and Masters in tournament play last season.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at
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or at 469-658-2847
Dec. 4th NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll
| Rank | School | Mascot | 2012-13 Record | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma Baptist University | Bisons | 9-1 | 279 |
| 2 | University of the Cumberlands (KY) | Patriots | 10-0 | 266 |
| 3 | Lee University (TN) | Flames | 9-0 | 264 |
| T4 | University of Pikeville (KY) | Bears | 11-1 | 246 |
| T4 | Rogers State University (OK) | Hillcats | 9-1 | 246 |
| 6 | Columbia College (MO) | Cougars | 9-0 | 236 |
| 7 | Westminster College (UT) | Griffins | 9-1 | 235 |
| 8 | Lindsey Wilson College (KY) | Blue Raiders | 9-1 | 217 |
| 9 | Cal State University - San Marcos | Cougars | 7-3 | 201 |
| 10 | Lewis-Clark State College (ID) | Warriors | 10-0 | 188 |
| 11 | Texas Wesleyan University | Rams | 6-1 | 181 |
| 12 | MidAmerica Nazarene University (KS) | Pioneers | 9-2 | 179 |
| 13 | Xavier University (LA) | Gold Rush | 9-1 | 177 |
| 14 | University of Science & Arts (OK) | Drovers | 7-1 | 176 |
| 15 | William Carery College (MS) | Crusaders | 7-1 | 160 |
| 16 | Evangel University (MO) | Crusaders | 8-3 | 152 |
| 17 | Faulkner University (AL) | Eagles | 10-1 | 116 |
| T18 | Campbellsville University (KY) | Tigers | 7-2 | 112 |
| T18 | Life University (GA) | Eagles | 6-3 | 112 |
| 20 | SAGU | Lions | 7-1 | 111 |
| 21 | Southern University - New Orleans (LA) | Knights | 3-1 | 106 |
| 22 | Oklahoma City University | Stars | 5-1 | 101 |
| 23 | Montana State-Northern | Lights | 11-2 | 95 |
| 24 | Bethel University (TN) | Wildcats | 11-1 | 75 |
| 25 | John Brown University (AR) | Golden Eagles | 8-1 | 72 |
Others receiving votes: Georgetown College (Ky) Tigers (8-3) 47; Texas College Steers (7-1) 39; Rocky Mountain College (Mont) Bears (7-3) 27; West Virginia Tech Bears (8-5) 19; Central Methodist University (Mo) Eagles (8-4) 18; Emmanuel College (Ga) Lions (11-2) 18; Park University (Mo) Pirates (5-4) 9; Wiley College (Tex) Wildcats (6-2) 5; Philander Smith College (Ark) Panthers (6-4) 3; Loyola University (La) Wolfpack (6-4) 3.
