On the cusp of basketball rankings for Central men

Central College

PELLA — A win over a nationally ranked opponent helped the Central College men’s basketball team receive 29 votes in this weeks’ D3hoops.com top-25 poll.

The Dhoops.com poll is voted on by a panel of coaches, sports information directors and D3soccer.com staff and is published weekly.

Hosting the No.13 ranked Washington University-St. Louis (Mo.) Bears on Saturday, Central stunned their opponents with an 84-80 victory. It was the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since knocking off #1 Augustana College (Ill.) on December 3, 2014.

With 29 votes, Central is the fifth team on the outside looking in at the top-25.

The Dutch are 7-1 on the season and averaging 87.5 points per game on the offensive end. They are are outrebounding opponents by an average of eight boards per contest.

Amherst College (Mass.) sits atop the rankings with a 9-0 record. Babson College (Maine), Whitman College (Wash.), Marietta College (Ohio) and Christopher Newport University (Va.) round out the top five.

Central is the second-highest rated Iowa Conference team, Wartburg College debuted in the rankings at No. 23 this week.

Another opportunity to take down a ranked foe is slated for Friday night in Rock Island, Illinois when the Dutch travel to battle No. 24 Augustana.