The Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball team is in the midst of a two-week break in its schedule. And when the Lights resume their season next week in Oregon, they’ll be the No. 22 team in the NAIA.
MSU-N moved up one spot in the most recent NAIA Men’s Coaches Poll. The Lights (11-2) are tied with Oklahoma City at No. 22 in the poll. MSU-N was ranked No. 23 in last week’s poll. The Lights, who travel to Portland Bible College and Linfield College to close out non-conference p0lay next weekend, are one of three Frontier Conference ranked in the men’s poll.
Lewis-Clark State, which is off to its best start in a decade, is ranked No. 11 with a 12-0 record, while Westminster remains at No. 7 in the poll. UM-Western also received 10 votes in this week’s poll.
On the women’s side, just one Frontier team is ranked. Westminster dropped one spot in the new poll, but is still ranked No. 5. Carroll College received 52 votes in the poll.
The MSU-Northern women have faced one ranked NAIA team so far this season in the Fighting Saints. The Skylights (5-4) will also face The Master’s College, which is ranked No. 13, next weekend in Santa Clarita, Calif. The Skylights are home this weekend to host the MSU-Northern Duck Inn Holiday Classic. MSU-N will face Walla Walla College tonight and Saturday, while Rocky Mountain College will be in Havre to play Walla Walla on Friday afternoon.
Carroll’s Megan Patterson was named this week’s Frontier Conference Women’s Player of the Week, while Skylight Nikki Tresch was nominated. UGF’s Marcel Towns earned the men’s award.
NAIA Men’s Coaches Poll
Rec. Pts Prv
1. Oklahoma Baptist 10-1 279 1
2. Cumberlands 12-0 274 2
3. Lee (Tenn.) 11-0 263 3
4. Pikeville (Ky.) 11-1 250 4
5. Westmont (Calif.) 7-1 242 NR
6. Columbia (Mo.) 9-0 235 6
7. Westminster 9-1 228 7
8. Lindsey Wilson 12-1 219 8
9. Rogers State 10-2 215 4
10. William Carey 9-1 183 15
11. Lewis-Clark State 12-0 181 10
12. Texas Wesleyan 8-1 180 11
13. MidAmeric Naz. 10-2 174 12
14. Science & Arts (Okla.) 7-1 162 14
15. Cal St. San Marcos 8-4 160 9
16. Xavier (La.) 9-2 140 13
17. Bethel (Tenn.) 12-1 132 24
18. Evangel (Mo.) 9-3 130 16
19. Concordia 6-3 119 NR
20. Campbelsville (Ky.) 8-3 92 18
21. Faulkner (Ala.) 10-2 90 17
22. Oklahoma City 6-1 89 22
22. MSU-Northern 11-2 89 23
24. Texas College 9-1 83 RV
25. Southern NE 4-1 79 21
Others receiving votes: John Brown (Ark.) 68; Biola (Calif.) 37; SAGU (Texas) 29; Georgetown (Ky.) 25; Loyola (La.) 11; Montana Western 10; Mid-Continent (Ky.) 5; Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 5; Wiley (Texas) 4.
NAIA Women’s Coaches Poll
Rec. Pts Prv
1. Lubbock Christian 12-0 281 1
2. Freed-Hardeman 11-0 272 2
3. Vanguard (Calif.) 5-0 263 2
4. Westmont (Calif.) 7-1 254 5
5. Westminster 8-2 245 4
6. Lee (Tenn.) 8-1 233 6
7. Cumberland (Tenn.) 9-0 227 7
8. Oklahoma City 5-2 221 8
9. Xavier (La.) 7-1 209 10
10. Campbelsville (Ky.) 8-2 195 11
11. MidAmerica Naz. 10-1 188 9
12. Bethel (Tenn.) 10-1 187 13
13. The Master’s 7-0 175 14
14. Rogers State 9-2 161 15
15. Shawnee State 8-3 156 12
16. Cumberlands (Ky.) 8-2 148 16
17. LSU-Shreveport 8-1 138 17
18. William Woods 7-1 121 19
19. Our Lady of Lakes 9-0 114 20
20. Auburn Montgomery 10-1 101 20
21. Georgetown (Ky.) 4-3 93 18
22. Benedictine (Kan.) 11-1 90 RV
23. Lyon (Ark.) 7-1 88 23
24. Faulkner (Ala.) 9-2 72 25
25. Central Methodist 11-1 67 RV
Others receiving votes: Carroll (Mont.) 52; Southern Poly (Ga.) 39; Oklahoma Baptist 35; Biola (Calif.) 33; Wiley (Texas) 23; Robert Morris (Ill.) 7; Columbia (Mo.) 3; San Diego Christian (Calif.) 3.
