After a huge weekend sweep at home, the Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball team continued its ascent in the NAIA Coaches Poll.
The Lights beat Montana tech on Friday night and then took care of No. 23 UM-Western on Saturday night. As a result, Northern moved up one spot to No. 12 in the latest NAIA Top 25, which was released Monday night. It’s Northern highest-ever ranking under head coach Shawn Huse, who reached career win No. 200 on Saturday night in Havre.
Meanwhile, after two tough losses to Montana Tech and Western, the Northern women’s team dropped out of the NAIA Women’s Coaches Poll all together this week. The Skylights received three votes last week, but none on Monday.
In the men’s poll, Western moved up to No. 22 despite falling to the Lights on Saturday. Westminster got 16 votes. Rocky Mountain College moved into the poll this week after sweeping Westminster and LC State. The Bears received one vote. On the women’s side, LC State moved up from No. 7 to No. 6 this week after the Warriors swept Rocky and Carroll College. Westminster also swept this weekend and moved up to No. 24. Western received three votes after a split with UGF and Northern over the weekend.
In the new Frontier Conference power rankings, the Northern men are No. 1, followed by Western, Westminster and Rocky. On the women’s side, the Skylights are No. 4, just ahead of Rocky. LC State is No. 1, followed by Westminster and Western.
Westminster’s Jake Orchard was named Frontier men’s player of the week. Orchard averaged 22.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.5 steals. He hit 57 percent of his field goals (16 of 28), 73 percent of his 3-point field goals (8 of 11) and 83 percent of his free throws (5 of 6). UGF’s Kezia Ford earned the women’s honor. Ford averaged 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals. She was 9 of 22 from the field (41 percent) and 82 percent(18 of 22) from the free throw line. In the win over Western, she had 27 points including 6 of 10 from the field and 14 of 18 from the free throw line over the weekend. Northern’s LaVon Myers and Laramie Schwenke were nominated this week.
The Lights and Skylights go on the road for the first time in conference play. MSU-N is at Carroll on Thursday night and Rocky Mountain on Saturday. For the complete NAIA Polls, see Page A7.
NAIA Men’s Coaches Poll
Rec. Pts. Prv.
1. Shorter (Ga.) 17-0 280 2
2. Oklahoma Baptist 15-1 269 1
3. Robert Morris 16-1 267 3
4. Southern Poly (Ga.) 13-2 240 10
5. Rogers State (Okla.) 15-2 238 8
6. Concordia (Calif.) 14-3 231 4
7. Azusa Pacific 14-3 224 7
7. Georgetown (Ky.) 15-3 224 5
9. Martin Methodist 13-3 223 9
10. Our Lady of Lakes 13-3 199 17
11. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 13-4 189 14
12. MSU-Northern 17-2 184 13
13. Texas Wesleyan 12-3 169 6
14. Southern Naz. (Okla.) 13-4 165 12
15. Mountain St. (W. Va.) 12-6 157 11
16. Westmont (Calif.) 13-2 133 RV
17. Evangel (Mo.) 14-5 132 15
18. Lee (Tenn.) 11-3 126 21
19. Xaiver (La.) 12-5 104 18
20. Campbelsville (Ky.) 13-5 102 22
21. Saint Xavier (Ill.) 13-4 96 23
22. UM-Western 15-5 86 23
23. Cumberland 12-3 83 RV
24. Columbia (Mo.) 14-5 68 RV
25. Tougaloo 14-5 59 RV
Others receiving votes: The Master's (Calif.) 49; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 43; Oklahoma City 31; SAGU (Texas) 21; Cal State San Marcos 21; Pikeville (Ky.) 21; Westminster (Utah) 16; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 10; Missouri Baptist 1; Science & Arts (Okla.) 1; Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; Oklahoma Christian 1; Wiley (Texas) 1; Union (Tenn.) 1; Benedictine (Kan.) 1; Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 1; Life (Ga.) 1.
NAIA Women’s Coaches Poll
Rec. Pts. Prv.
1. Freed-Hardeman 15-2 312 3
2. Oklahoma City 15-1 299 1
3. Union (Tenn.) 16-2 293 2
4. Westmont (Calif.) 16-1 278 4
5. Langston (Okla.) 16-0 273 5
6. Lee (Tenn.) 16-1 257 7
7. Lewis-Clark State 17-2 256 6
8. Cumberlands (Ky.) 16-1 244 8
9. Lubbock Christian 12-3 225 12
10. Vanguard 11-3 218 10
11. Saint Xavier (Ill.) 13-4 215 10
12. Shawnee State 14-4 212 9
13. Azusa Pacific 11-5 189 13
14. Olivet Naz. (Ill.) 14-5 181 14
15. Southern Naz. (Okla.) 13-4 174 16
16. Xavier (La.) 14-5 161 17
17. Campbelsville (Ky.) 13-6 149 18
18. Georgetown (Ky.) 13-6 136 15
18. Belhaven 14-5 136 19
20. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 14-5 114 20
21. Westminster 11-6 106 24
22. Robert Morris (Ill.) 12-3 95 23
23. Loyola (La.) 14-1 87 RV
24. MidAmerica Naz. 13-5 81 RV
25. William Woods (Mo.) 11-5 73 22
Others receiving votes: Lyon (Ark.) 71; Shorter (Ga.) 63; Columbia (Mo.) 26; Rogers State (Okla.) 26; LSU Shreveport (La.) 13; Avila (Mo.) 10; Rio Grande (Ohio) 4; Park (Mo.) 3; Montana Western 3; Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 1; Oklahoma Baptist 1; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 1; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 1; St. Catharine (Ky.) 1.
