dsu athletics news
dsu athletics pages
DSU cracks in NAIA D-II Men’s Basketball ‘Top 25’; earns first ranking in school history
March 20, 2013
2012-13 NAIA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL TOP 25 POSTSEASON POLL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dakota State men's basketball team continues their historic season as they earned their first ranking in school history, announced Wednesday afternoon by the national office. The Trojans are ranked No. 14 (tie) in the 2012-13 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Postseason 'Top 25' national poll.
Dakota State, a member of the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.), tallied a total of 173 points after recording a school record 24 victories. The Trojans are tied with Bellevue (Neb.) at No. 14.
DSU had appeared in the recognition section of the national poll for the majority of the season. The Trojans were 5-5 against teams that are ranked in the NAIA’s ‘Top 25’ poll (defeated No. 19 Bellevue, Neb.; No. 10 Dordt, Iowa; No. 23 Valley City State (N.D.); No. 5 Warner Pacific (Ore.) and No. 21 St. Thomas, Fla.).
Dakota State claimed back-to-back A.I.I. Division II Conference Postseason Tournament Champions for the first time in school history. In addition, the Trojans earned their second consecutive national tournament appearance, which has never happened in DSU men’s basketball program history.
DSU advanced to the ‘Elite Eight’ in the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament for the second time in school history (the Trojans advanced to the Final Four in 1992).
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents.
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1st PLACE VOTES) | 2012-13 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) (12) | 35-3 | 312 |
| 2 | 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 34-2 | 302 |
| 3 | 10 | Indiana Southeast | 30-5 | 289 |
| 4 | 11 | Dordt (Iowa) | 28-7 | 274 |
| 5 | 20 | Grace (Ind.) | 24-10 | 271 |
| 6 | 3 | Northwood (Fla.) | 30-4 | 266 |
| 7 | 6 | Indiana Wesleyan | 26-7 | 240 |
| 8 | 7 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 29-6 | 237 |
| 9 | 4 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 24-7 | 234 |
| 10 | 18 | Southern Oregon | 25-10 | 203 |
| 11 | 9 | Davenport (Mich.) | 27-7 | 202 |
| 12 | 17 | Bethel (Ind.) | 25-10 | 197 |
| 13 | 5 | Warner Pacific (Ore.) | 27-7 | 187 |
| T14 | RV | Dakota State (S.D.) | 24-10 | 173 |
| T14 | 19 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 24-11 | 173 |
| 16 | 12 | Mount Mercy (Iowa) | 27-6 | 156 |
| 17 | 15 | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 25-9 | 151 |
| 18 | 25 | Midland (Neb.) | 21-13 | 132 |
| 19 | 22 | York (Neb.) | 24-9 | 130 |
| T20 | 8 | Eastern Oregon | 28-5 | 122 |
| T20 | 21 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 21-12 | 122 |
| 22 | 14 | Madonna (Mich.) | 25-9 | 113 |
| 23 | RV | Cal Maritime | 25-7 | 107 |
| 24 | 13 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 25-8 | 92 |
| T25 | NR | College of the Ozarks (Mo.) | 23-13 | 72 |
| T25 | 16 | Rochester (Mich.) | 23-5 | 72 |
| Dropped Out: No. 23 Northwest (Wash.); No. 24 Valley City State (N.D.); No. 25 Oklahoma Wesleyan | ||||
| Receiving Votes: Valley City State (N.D.) 42; Northwest (Wash.) 38; Lourdes (Ohio) 35; Taylor (Ind.) 12; Ave Maria (Fla.) 10; Saint Mary (Kan.) 5; Morningside (Iowa) 4; Hastings (Neb.) 3; Oklahoma Wesleyan 3. | ||||
^ranking on Feb. 27, 2013 in the final regular-season Top 25
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
