MSU is first for sixth straight poll; No. 25 The Master's (Calif.) ranked for first time in over a year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With just one team undefeated, that same program Mountain State (W.Va.), holds strong at No. 1 in the sixth edition of the 2009-2010 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, released by the NAIA office Monday. The Cougars, who are a school-best 23-0 overall, have been the top-ranked team for the last six polls. Mountain State earned all 12 first-place votes and 312 total points.

This poll marks the first time this year that a team was a unanimous pick for No. 1. In the previous five polls (including preseason), the first-place votes were split among at least the top-three teams.

Mountain State finished off a tough week with a 94-86 road win at Life (Ga.) on Jan. 30. On Jan. 28, the Cougars got past Talladega (Ala.), 96-85. The close wins were an anomaly this year for Mountain State - the Cougars rank No. 1 in the NAIA in scoring margin (29.7 ppg). The win against Talladega improved their record to 22-0, bettering the school-record start of 21-0, which was accomplished by the 2003-04 national championship team. The Cougars take a rest this week and next play Hiwassee (Tenn.) on Feb. 9.

Moving up one spot to its highest ranking this year, No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist gathered 298 points. Due to severe weather last week, Oklahoma Baptist did not play. The Bison, who are 18-1 overall and 10-1 in the conference, face a busy stretch ahead, first with a home game against No. 16 Oklahoma Christian today. Two more home games follow on Feb. 4 against Wayland Baptist (Texas) and on Feb. 6 against Lubbock Christian (Texas). The Bison have been ranked for the last 21 polls, which marks the fifth-longest active stretch.

No. 3 Biola (Calif.) also jumps one spot into its highest position this year. The Eagles stand 20-1 overall after a 75-62 road win at Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) on Jan. 28. After suffering its first and only loss of the year back on Jan. 16, the Eagles have won by an average margin of 23.5 points in four straight wins. On Feb. 2, Biola takes on Fresno Pacific (Calif.) followed by a home date against Vanguard (Calif.) on Feb. 6.

Due to two upset losses last week, Concordia (Calif.) drops two positions to No. 2. Concordia had its 19-game winning streak snapped in an 80-75 loss to unranked San Diego Christian on Jan. 26. The game had a lasting impact as the Eagles lost its second straight game, against Azusa Pacific (Calif.) on Jan. 30. The Eagles, who are now 19-2 overall, contest Hope International (Calif.) on Feb. 2 and wrap up their week of play against Westmont (Calif.) on Feb. 4.  

For the fourth straight week, Louisiana State-Shreveport is ranked at No. 5. The Pilots earned 273 total points and stand at 19-2 on the year. The Pilots nailed down the fifth spot after three wins last week. They took down then-No. 21 Tougaloo (Miss.), 97-84 on Jan. 25. That game was followed by two victories at Dillard (La.) on Jan. 28 and Southern-New Orleans (La.) on Jan. 30. LSU-Shreveport faces another tough week with a Feb. 4 game against No. 20 Belhaven (Miss.). Then on Feb. 6, the Pilots take on Xavier (La.).

The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) is best represented this week in the Top 25 with No. 3 Biola, No. 4 Concordia, No. 17 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and No. 25 The Master's (Calif.). Three other leagues boast three teams in the national ranking.

No. 17 Azusa Pacific (Calif.), No. 23 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and No. 25 The Master's are new representatives this week. Azusa and Freed-Hardeman both were ranked earlier this year with the Cougars No. 24 in the preseason and FHU at No. 16 in the first regular-season poll. The Master's is mentioned in the Top 25 for the first time since Jan. 19, 2009 when the Mustangs were 23^rd (tied).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The seventh regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Monday, Feb. 8.

For more information on NAIA men's basketball, please click here.

NOTES: Three teams fall from the Top 25 since last week:  No. 20 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.), No. 22 Westmont (Calif.) and No. 25 Montana-Western… No. 1 Mountain State (W.Va.) holds the most wins in Division I with 23… No. 2 Concordia (Calif.) has been ranked in the Top 25 the last 13 polls... Mountain State has now been mentioned in the Top 5 the last 38 straight polls (dating back to mid-season of the 2006-07 polls)… Coach Harry Statham of No. 7 McKendree (Ill.) University earned career win No. 1,000 on Nov. 13 - he holds the most wins of any men's basketball four-year college head coach (including NAIA and NCAA)… Mountain State has been in the Top 25 for the last 117 consecutive weeks, which is the longest active streak in Division I, No. 19 Georgetown (Ky.) is next with 49 followed by No. 7 McKendree (Ill.) with 32… Mountain State has been No. 1 a total of 45 times since 2000, which marks the highest total of any program in that span - Robert Morris (Ill.) is next in line with 13 No. 1's.

2009-2010 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll - (Rating #6 - Feb. 1)

Others receiving votes:

William Jewell College (Mo.) 48; Robert Morris University (Ill.) 34; University of Montana Western 31; Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) 23; Mid-America Christian University (Okla.) 21; Emmanuel College (Ga.) 18; Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) 13; Oklahoma City University 12; William Carey University (Miss.) 11; Evangel University (Mo.) 8; Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) 8; Life University (Ga.) 7; Texas College 5; Saint Xavier University (Ill.) 4; University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; Westmont College (Calif.) 1; MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) 1; Lambuth University (Tenn.) 1; John Brown University (Ark.) 1; Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) 1; Mid-Continent University (Ky.) 1

* Records as submitted by schools and raters