Statesmen Still Second
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team took care of business during the last polling period and remained second as the NAIA released its third Division I rating Tuesday.
The Statesmen (15-2, 9-2 Heart) are once again in the runner-up spot with 208 points. The ranking included games played through this past Sunday. It marks the 21st-consecutive time WPU has been in the top four in the NAIA (dating back to October 2016) and the 24th time in a row it has been in the top 10 (dating back to February 2016).
WPU is one of five squads from the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the entire rating. Benedictine, which has one first-place vote to its credit, made one of the biggest jumps, going up to #7, while Peru State also improved a few rungs to #17. Central Methodist is also in the top 25 at #24, while Graceland is in the receiving votes section in a tie for 32nd.
LSU Alexandria is still #1 with the other eight first-place votes, while the NAIA’s lone undefeated team, Missouri Baptist, is third. Carroll (Mont.) and The Master’s (Calif.) round out the top five.
William Penn is home Wednesday, hosting Culver-Stockton in Heart action at 7:30 p.m.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Rating #3 – January 15, 2019
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. LSU Alexandria (8)
2. William Penn
3. Missouri Baptist
4. Carroll (Mont.)
5. The Master’s (Calif.)
6. Georgetown (Ky.)
7. Benedictine (Kan.)
8. Langston (Okla.)
9. Vanguard (Calif.)
10. Campbellsville (Ky.)
10. Stillman (Ala.)
10. Tougaloo (Miss.)
13. Wiley (Texas)
14. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
15. Pikeville (Ky.)
16. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
17. Peru State (Neb.)
18. William Carey (Miss.)
19. Hope International (Calif.)
20. Science & Arts (Okla.)
21. Arizona Christian
22. Providence (Mont.)
23. Central Baptist (Ark.)
24. John Brown (Ark.)
24. William Jessup (Calif.)
Others Receiving Votes: St. Thomas (Texas) 33, SAGU (Texas) 25, Bethel (Tenn.) 25, Cumberlands (Ky.) 20, Dillard (La.) 13, Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 10, Graceland 5, LSU-Shreveport (La.) 5, Talladega (Ala.) 4, Life (Ga.) 4.
