FHSU Athletics
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After starting the 2024-25 season ranked No. 16 in the NABC Top 25 Poll, Fort Hays State Men's Basketball has played it's way back into the receiving votes section national poll. In the latest poll released on Tuesday, the Tigers, now 8-3 overall on the season, received 17 votes in the poll. They are the fifth-highest team listed in the receiving votes section.
Fort Hays State fell short in a couple of tough games to open the season in Minnesota against Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul, a pair of teams also among the receiving votes list of the poll. Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul are both 10-3 overall on the season. The Tigers have gone 8-1 overall since their 0-2 start to the season. Their only other loss was to Washburn, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 12-0 overall.
The Tigers have won their last four games, which included a 16-point win over a No. 22 ranked MSU Denver squad in Hays on December 20. MSU Denver slipped back into the receiving votes list in the latest Top 25 Poll.
Fort Hays State goes on the road this week to Northwest Missouri State (Thur. Jan. 2) and Missouri Western (Sat. Jan. 4). FHSU is looking for its first win at Northwest Missouri State since 2013, and Missouri Western is also in the receiving votes list of the national poll this week. With a new coach at the helm, NWMSU is 3-8 so far this season and this will be the first time in 15 meetings the Bearcats will not hold a national ranking in the matchup with FHSU. Missouri Western is currently 9-3 overall.
The Tigers will be back at home the following week for games against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9).
NABC Top 25 Poll for Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Rank - School - Record - Points - Prev.
1. Nova Southeastern, Fla. (15) - 11-0 - 398 - 1
2. Washburn, Kan. - 12-0 - 383 - 2
3. Daemen, N.Y. (1) - 11-0 - 354 - 4
4. Ferris State, Mich. - 12-1 - 338 - 5
5. Minot State, N.D. - 15-0 - 328 - 12
6. Alabama Huntsville - 11-1 - 308 - 13
7. Pace, N.Y. - 12-0 - 304 - 11
8. West Liberty, W.Va. - 11-1 - 279 - 3
9. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. - 9-1 - 261 - 14
10. DBU, Texas - 12-2 - 221 - 15
11. Fairmont State, W.Va. - 10-1 - 216 - 7
12. MSU Moorhead, Minn. - 10-2 - 207 - 6
13. West Texas A&M - 9-2 - 181 - 8
14. Lake Superior State, Mich. - 9-2 - 177 - 17
15. Florida Southern - 12-2 - 174 - 20
16. Colorado School of Mines - 9-2 - 168 - 10
17. Findlay, Ohio - 10-1 - 166 - 25
18. Coker, S.C. - 11-1 - 120 - 16
19. Columbus State, Ga.9-1 - 83 - NR
20. Missouri S&T - 8-1 - 78 - NR
21. Lenoir-Rhyne, N.C. - 10-2 - 61 - NR
22. Saint Martin's, Wash. - 13-2 - 53 - NR
23. Cal State San Bernardino - 10-3 - 44 - 18
24. Hillsdale, Mich. - 10-2 - 33 - 19
T25. Cal Poly Pomona - 8-2 - 24 - 21
T25. Valdosta State, Ga. - 9-2 - 24 - NR
Receiving Votes: MSU Denver (Colo.) 22, Assumption (Mass.) 19, Winona State (Minn.) 19, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 18, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 17, Gannon (Pa.) 17, North Georgia 17, Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) 16, Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) 14, West Chester (Pa.) 11, Midwestern State (Texas) 8, Northern Michigan 8, Southwest Minnesota State 6, Upper Iowa 6, Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) 5, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 3, Missouri Western 3, Eastern New Mexico 3, Kentucky Wesleyan 2, Point Loma (Calif.) 1.