USC Aiken Ranked Eighth in Latest NABC/Division II Poll

KANSAS CITY – Despite suffering its first loss of the year, the University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team stayed in the top 10 at No. 8 in the third NABC/Division II Men's Basketball rankings of the 2010-11 regular season.

The Pacers are one of three Peach Belt Conference teams in the top ten as Montevallo took USC Aiken's spot of fifth in last week's poll in the third poll of the year. Augusta State moved into the top ten for the first time in 2010-11 this week at No. 10.

Earning their first national ranking of the year at No. 20 on Dec. 4, 2007, USC Aiken has now been ranked in the top 25 in 31 of the last 45 regular season polls.

Wins over two teams in last week's Top 25 has vaulted Bellarmine to the No. 1 spot in the NABC/Division II men's basketball rankings for the first time in school history, after previously top-ranked Cal Poly Pomona suffered a pair of losses over the weekend.

As a result of Cal Poly Pomona's losses and setbacks by three other teams in the top 10 last week, the top half of the rankings saw a significant shuffle. Winona State moved up a spot to No. 3, while West Liberty and Montevallo enter the top five for the first time as they also remained undefeated into December. Fort Hays State, which has won its first eight games by an average of more than 24 points a game, comes in at No. 6 and is followed by Indiana (Pa.), USC Aiken, Alabama-Huntsville and Augusta State.

The Pacers will next return to the hardwood for a road game against PBC rival Columbus State in Columbus, Ga. on Saturday, Dec. 11. The USC Aiken-Columbus State men's basketball game is scheduled to get underway at approximately 3:30 p.m. The game will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (December 7, 2010 – Poll #3)

Record Points Pvs

1. Bellarmine, Ky. (5 first place votes) 5-0 197 T2

2. Findlay, Ohio (3 first place votes) 6-0 191 T2

3. Winona State, Minn. 5-0 184 4

4. West Liberty, W.Va. 7-0 177 7

5. Montevallo, Ala. 6-0 162 10

6. Fort Hays State, Kan. 8-0 150 14

7. Indiana, Pa. 3-1 134 9

8. USC Aiken 5-1 124 5 

9. Alabama-Huntsville 8-1 120 6

10. Augusta State, Ga. 6-0 112 18

11. Bowie State, Md. 5-0 108 19

12. Central Washington 7-0 105 24

13. Tarleton State, Texas 6-1 103 17

14. Grand Valley State, Mich. 5-1 95 16

15. Central Oklahoma 8-1 88 8

16. Cal Poly Pomona 1-2 85 1

17. Hillsdale, Mich. 8-0 80 25

18. Kentucky Wesleyan 5-1 72 11

19. Cal State-Dominguez Hills 6-1 51 15

20. Southern Indiana 5-1 40 22

21. Minnesota State 6-0 39 NR

22. Merrimack, Mass. 6-1 32 NR

23. Northern Kentucky 5-1 25 20

24. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 7-0 21 NR

25. Virginia Union 2-0 15 NR

Others receiving votes: Incarnate Word (Texas) 13, Central Missouri 12, Midwestern State (Texas) 11, Bentley (Mass.) 10, Eckerd (Fla.) 9, Flagler (Fla.) 8, Winston-Salem State (N.C.) 8, Christian Brothers (Tenn.) 7, Missouri Southern 6, Drury (Mo.) 5, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 2, Rollins (Fla.) 1.

Dropped out: Central Missouri (12), Rollins (13), Arkansas Tech (21), Chaminade (23).

Records are through games of Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010.