There are 275 institutions that sponsor NCAA Division II men’s and women’s basketball. Only two of them are ranked in the national top 25 poll in both this week, and Arkansas Tech University is one of them.
The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns are No. 5 in the USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II women’s basketball top 25, while the Wonder Boys re-entered the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II men’s basketball top 25 at the No. 23 position.
Grand Valley State University of Michigan (No. 22 in women’s and No. 15 in men’s) is the only other NCAA Division II program ranked in both national basketball polls this week.
The fifth-ranked Golden Suns (14-2 overall, 3-1 Gulf South Conference) fell three spots in the women’s top 25 poll after their 68-58 loss at Delta State on Saturday. The win helped the Lady Statesmen (16-1, 4-1) climb from No. 4 to No. 3 in the poll.
No. 1 Lander University of South Carolina (19-0), No. 2 Clayton State University of Georgia (18-0) and No. 4 Fort Lewis College of Colorado (17-1) round out this week’s top five.
Arkansas Tech has been ranked in the NCAA Division II women’s basketball top 25 for 22 consecutive weeks, including 18 straight weeks in the top 10.
The 23rd-ranked Wonder Boys (13-3 overall, 4-0 GSC) are back in the NCAA Division II men’s basketball top 25 for the first time since Nov. 30, 2010, when they were No. 21.
That ranking in late November marked the 18th consecutive week that Arkansas Tech had been included in the men’s top 25, but early-season losses at Drury and West Georgia cost the Wonder Boys their position in the poll.
Now Tech is back in the national rankings thanks to a seven-game winning streak. The Wonder Boys have started 4-0 in the GSC for a fourth consecutive year.
Arkansas Tech will host Harding University for a GSC doubleheader at Tucker Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 27.
The Golden Suns will entertain the Harding Lady Bisons at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Wonder Boys will meet the nationally 19th-ranked Harding Bisons at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Those with a valid Tech identification card will be admitted free. Tickets will be available at the door beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
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