Four MBB Teams in D3hoops Top 12
EMU Jumps 11 Places to No. 7, GC to No. 2
SALEM, Va. --- ODAC men's basketball continues
to garner strong recognition from the rest of the nation through
the latest D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll. Four conference programs
remained ranked for the third consecutive week, and all are slotted
12th or better.
Randolph-Macon College (14-1 overall, 5-1 ODAC), which had been
ranked No. 1 in the country in the past two releases of the survey,
slipped to No. 3 following its 1-1 showing last week that included
a loss to fellow ranked foe, Eastern Mennonite University.
The Royals (13-1, 7-0) made the biggest jump in Monday night's
poll, climbing 11 spots to No. 7. Guilford College (15-1,
6-1) ended its four-week stay in sixth position with a move to No.
2, the Quakers' highest ranking since being tabbed No. 3 in the
preseason poll. GC's rise is attributed in large part to its
win over Virginia Wesleyan College over the weekend. The
Marlins (14-2, 5-2) dropped to No. 12.
Eastern Mennonite was the talk of the conference following last
week's 23-point win at home against R-MC, marking the first loss of
the season for the Yellow Jackets. The Royals are undefeated
in ODAC play, the only remaining league school with such a
distinction. EMU's lone loss came to NAIA Southern Virginia
University, leaving Eastern Mennonite as the only school in the
country yet to fall to an NCAA Division III opponent.
Depth of competition continues to ring true throughout the ODAC,
beyond the top four programs in the conference. Of the
league's 11 members participating in men's basketball, seven boast
winning percentages of .500 or better. Ten teams have posted
at least five victories, helping lead ODAC schools to a combined
62-30 record (.674) against non-conference opponents. Such a
mark, which consists of wins largely against regional and top
quality non-region opponents, will do well to help the standing of
ODAC squads come the release of the NCAA Division III regional
rankings at the beginning of February.
Several key matchups remain throughout the conference, both amongst
the four ranked programs and against teams throughout the
league. For more information on ODAC men's basketball and the
rest of the ODAC's sponsored sports, visit any of the member
schools' websites or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.
