February 17, 2009

Women's Hoops near Top 10; FMU hosts ASU on Wednesday

The Francis Marion University women's basketball team moved up four spots to 11th in this week's USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25.  Both FMU basketball teams will play host to Augusta State University for a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader on Wednesday (Feb. 18) evening.

The women's game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.  Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students.

The women's contest will be joined in progress at 7 p.m. on WWFN-FM 100.1 The Fan, and the men's game will be aired in its entirety.

The Francis Marion women (22-1, 15-1) have won their last 13 games, fifth-longest streak in team history, and maintain a two-game lead in the PBC standings.  The No. 11 ranking is the highest for the program since the Patriots were ranked 10th in the final poll of the 2000-01 season.

Francis Marion edged Augusta State 93-90 last month on the road.  ASU (5-18, 3-13) has lost six straight games.  FMU leads the all-time series 20-16.

The FMU men (15-8, 8-8) will entertain a nationally ranked opponent for the second time this month.  The 19-4 ASU men are ranked No.6 this week and share the PBC lead with a 13-3 conference mark.  Francis Marion is in fifth place.

Francis Marion trails in the all-time series 29-9 including a 75-54 loss earlier this season in Augusta.

On Saturday, the Patriot men will travel to 25th-ranked Georgia College & State University.

 

 

USA TODAY ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES' POLL (Week 11 Poll: February 17, 2009)

 

Rank

Institution - First Place Votes

Prev Week

Record

Points

1.

Univ. of Alaska-Anchorage (26)

1

24-1

674

2.

Fort Lewis College (Colo.) (1)

2

22-1

644

3.

Minnesota State Univ.-Mankato

3

24-1

624

4.

Northern Kentucky University

4

21-2

582

5.

Hillsdale College (Mich.)

5

21-2

560

6.

California Univ. of Pennsylvania

6

20-3

533

7.

West Texas A&M University

7

21-3

515

8.

Emporia State University (Kan.)

8

21-3

480

9.

Washburn University (Kan.)

9

21-3

442

10.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

11

20-3

339

11.

Francis Marion University (S.C.)

15

21-1

355

12.

Tusculum College (Tenn.)

14

21-3

347

13.

University of California, San Diego

10

22-3

336

14.

Seattle Pacific University (Wash.)

17

16-4

280

15.

Quincy University (Ill.)

19

21-3

273

16.

Michigan Technological University

12

19-4

232

17.

University of Central Oklahoma

13

19-4

206

18.

Rollins College (Fla.)

21

20-3

189

19.

Stonehill College (Mass.)

20

19-5

188

20.

Saint Mary's University (Texas)

16

20-3

155

21.

Minnesota State Univ.-Moorhead

22

19-5

136

22.

Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.)

23

21-3

135

23.

University of District of Columbia

18

20-4

104

24.

Clayton State University (Ga.)

24

19-4

88

25.

Franklin Pierce University (N.H.)

25

18-5

66

Others Receiving Votes: Fort Valley State University (Ga.) - 42; Fayetteville State University (N.C.) - 26; Clark Atlanta University (Ga.) - 24; Holy Family University (Pa.) - 20; Delta State University (Miss.) - 19; University of West Georgia - 18; Molloy College (N.Y.) - 13; Carson-Newman College (Tenn.) - 11; Gannon University (Pa.) - 11; Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 10; University of South Carolina Aiken - 9; University of Tampa (Fla.) - 9; University of Arkansas, Monticello - 7; Northwood University (Mich.) - 6; Georgia College & State University - 4; American International College (Mass.) - 2; Bentley University (Mass.) - 1.