Dec. 13, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

MOUNTAIN STATE STAYS ATOP NAIA DIVISION I MEN'S TOP 25
For the second week in-a-row, Mountain State University is No. 1 in the second regular season National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball Division I Top 25 Coaches' Poll, announced Dec. 12. The Cougars' high-powered offense averages 97.9 points per game, including 100 points in five games. MSU recently took down NCAA Division II Lincoln (Penn.) 123-80 to win the West Virginia Tech Baisi Classic.

Georgetown gets the other first-place nod with 309 total points - the Tigers lead Division I with 12 wins. GC holds a slight edge, 309 to 306 points, over third-place Concordia (Calif.). Oklahoma Baptist and Louisiana State University-Shreveport stay put at No. 4 and 5, respectively.

Park University also received consideration, earning nine points to finish 31st in the poll, outside the Top 25. The third regular season poll will be released on Wednesday, Jan. 9.

BRESCIA CONTINUES TO GAIN VOTES IN WOMEN'S TOP 25
Brescia University finished just outside the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Top 25 for the second-straight week, this week earning 32 points to finish just ahead of Oklahoma Christian, three spots outside the Top 25 at No. 28.

Berry (57 points) and Harris-Stowe State (52 points) were ahead of the Bearcats, who were 26 points behind No. 25 Cumberlands, who earned 58 points to claim the poll's last spot.

Union University was the No. 1 ranked team in the poll, sweeping all 11 first-place votes.

BRESCIA SWEEPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Brescia University swept the NAIA Division I Independent Basketball Player of the Week honors for the first awarding of the 2007-08 season, as Anthony McNeal won on the men's side, while Helen McKinney earned the honor in women's voting.

McNeal, a junior for the Bearcats, averaged 26.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week for the Bearcats last week, scoring 28 and grabbing 14 rebounds in 45 minutes against Indiana-Southeast, coming back with a 25-point, five rebound outing against Pikeville.

McKinney led the Brescia women to a 2-1 week, as the freshman averaged 15.7 points per game, scoring 25 in a loss to Columbia, followed by 12 and 10 against Morris and Voorhees, both Brescia wins.

Next week's player of the week announcement (Dec. 21) will be slightly different than in normal weeks, as the honor will include games from Dec. 10-16 and leading up to the voting, which will take place Thursday, Dec. 20.