Men�s Basketball Regains Nation�s
Top Ranking
The defending NCAA Division III men�s basketball champions will open the
2004-05 national tournament as the top-ranked team in the latest poll from
D3hoops.com
For the third time this season, UW-Stevens Point moved back into the
No. 1 ranking after falling out in a previous week. The Pointers opened the
year as the preseason No. 1 and are now 24-3. UW-Stevens Point dropped out
of the top spot after each loss, but regained the No. 1 ranking in the
following weeks each time. The Pointers were third in last week�s poll, but
leapfrogged No. 2 Amherst (Mass.) after winning three games to claim the
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
It marks the first time that a team has held the top spot with three
losses in an in-season poll since the University of Chicago in the final
week prior to the 2001 NCAA tournament.
Both of the Pointers� potential first round NCAA tournament opponents
are ranked high as Lawrence is ranked 13th and Gustavus Adolphus is ranked
17th. The two teams meet Thursday with the winner playing in Stevens Point
on Saturday at 7 p.m. |
