Mount Olive men ranked in Division II poll

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on February 16, 2005 1:57 PM

• Print
• Email

MOUNT OLIVE - Mount Olive has earned its first national ranking of the season, checking in at No. 24 in this week's NABC Division II men's basketball Top 25, it was announced Tuesday by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The ranking, which includes games through Sunday, comes one day after the Trojans clinched their second consecutive 20-win season.

Mount Olive has won 11 of its last 12 games as the Trojans improved to 20-3 after Monday's 74-59 victory at Belmont Abbey, marking the first time in school history the Trojans have recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons.

The national Top 25 ranking is the second in school history for Mount Olive men's basketball, which spent a week at No. 20 last season. The Trojans garnered 16 points in this week's poll to finish one point ahead of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

Mount Olive was the 32nd-highest vote-getter in the January 18 poll, but did not receive any votes in any of the last three polls. The Trojans join No. 18 Western Washington as newcomers in this week's poll.

Mount Olive is one of two Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference teams ranking in the Top 25. Pfeiffer, which lost at Limestone on Monday, moved up seven places to No. 10.

Mount Olive plays its first game as a nationally ranked team Thursday as the Trojans travel to Gaffney, S.C., to take on Limestone in CVAC action. The game was originally scheduled for January 29, but had to be moved due to a winter storm. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.