FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State Men's Basketball remained among the teams receiving votes in the NABC Top 25 Poll, released Tuesday. The Tigers upped their vote count from the previous week and were the fifth highest vote-receiving team outside the Top 25. This is the sixth-straight NABC Poll the Tigers have received votes.
Fort Hays State won its only game last week, topping Nebraska-Kearney 57-49 in Kearney. The Tigers sit at 13-4 overall on the season and 8-3 in MIAA play.
Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western continue to represent the MIAA in the NABC Top 25 this week. The Bearcats are No. 21, while the Griffons are No. 22. Fort Hays State and Washburn are the two teams from the conference among the receiving votes section. Northwest Missouri State (13-4, 9-2 MIAA) leads the MIAA by a game at the midway point of conference play, while Missouri Western (14-3, 8-3 MIAA), FHSU, and Washburn (12-5, 8-3 MIAA) are all tied for second.
Fort Hays State will host Washburn is a matchup of teams receiving votes in the poll on Thursday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers also play host to a solid Emporia State team on Saturday, which spent time in the NABC Top 25 Poll earlier this season.
The Central Region has a total of eight teams represented in the poll. MSU Moorhead and Minnesota State each took a turn at holding the No. 1 ranking in the country when they were undefeated, but both remain among the top five this week. Each has just one loss on the season and face each other this Saturday in Mankato, Minn. for the only regular season meeting between the teams. Minot State gives the NSIC three teams in the Top 25, currently at No. 16. Minnesota Duluth, also from the NSIC, is among the receiving votes section with FHSU and Washburn.
Aside from the MSU Moorhead (No. 3) and Minnesota State (No. 5) matchup, No. 1 ranked West Texas A&M and No. 4 ranked Dallas Baptist face off in another top-5 matchup this week in the South Central Region.
Fort Hays State dropped out of the receiving votes list in the D2CSC Top 25 Poll this week. The Tigers were among the receiving votes list of that poll the previous two weeks. The Tigers did reach the Top 25 in that poll early this year, holding the No. 16 ranking for a week, but still have not cracked the NABC Top 25 yet this season. Northwest Missouri State is the only ranked team in from the MIAA in the D2CSC Poll, sitting at No. 17 this week, while Missouri Western received votes.
NABC Top 25 Poll for January 23, 2024.
Rank - Team (1st Place Votes) - Record - Points
1. West Texas A&M (12) - 16-1 - 391
2. Saint Martin's, Wash. - 16-1 - 362
3. MSU Moorhead, Minn. (2) - 17-1 - 361
4. Dallas Baptist, Texas - 15-1 - 355
5. Minnesota State (2) - 17-1 - 349
6. Nova Southeastern, Fla. - 14-2 - 329
7. Colorado Mesa - 15-2 - 306
8. Fort Lewis, Colo. - 15-2 - 272
9. West Georgia - 15-2 - 237
10. North Georgia - 14-2 - 213
11. Lander, S.C. - 14-2 - 206
12. Gannon, Pa. - 15-2 - 204
13. Ferris State, Mich. - 15-3 - 179
14. Colorado School of Mines - 16-3 - 168
15. Benedict, S.C. - 14-2 - 166
16. Minot State, N.D. - 15-3 - 153
17. California, Pa. - 14-2 - 145
18. USC Aiken, S.C. - 14-2 - 128
19 - East Stroudsburg, Pa. - 14-2 - 122
20. West Liberty, W.Va. - 13-3 - 117
21. Northwest Missouri State - 13-4 - 95
22. Missouri Western State - 14-3 - 85
23. Charleston, W.Va. - 13-2 - 49
24. Chico State, Calif. - 12-4 - 39
25. Cal State LA - 14-3 - 34
Receiving Votes: Wingate (N.C.) 21, Cal State San Bernardino 16, Walsh (Ohio) 15, Minnesota Duluth 14, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 12, Cal State Dominguez Hills 10, Washburn (Kan.) 10, Indianapolis (Ind.) 8, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 7, St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) 7, Florida Southern 5, UNC Pembroke (N.C.) 4, Post (Conn.) 2, Concord (W.Va.) 1, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 1.