The Fort Hays State men’s basketball team dropped from No. 8 to No. 19 in the latest NABC Division II National Poll, released on Tuesday, January 10. Fort Hays State’s two road games and the home game against Southwest Baptist last week were considered for the latest poll. The Tigers went 1-2 in those games, suffering consecutive losses to Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist.

Fort Hays State’s run of 34 consecutive weeks in the regular season poll, dating back to the 2009-10 season, could be on the verge of ending after its loss to Missouri Southern in Hays on Monday. Missouri Southern is No. 23 in this week’s poll, falling from the No. 14 spot last week. Fort Hays State has just one more game this week before the next poll release, that being at Pittsburg State on Saturday. The Tigers currently stand at 10-4 overall.

The 34-consecutive week streak of being ranked in the NABC regular season poll is the longest ever for Fort Hays State. The Tigers eclipsed the old mark of 29, which started with the first regular season poll of the 1995-96 undefeated national championship season for the Tigers and ended on the ninth poll of the 1997-98 season, in the second regular season poll this year.

The Tigers have now been ranked in 47 regular season polls under 11th-year head coach Mark Johnson. All of those polls have been since the 2005-06 season, a year that saw the Tigers reach the No. 1 ranking in the nation.

Finally cracking the Top 25 this week is Northwest Missouri State, which continues to lead the conference standings at 6-1 and 12-1 overall. The Bearcats check in at No. 24 this week. Northwest Missouri State’s only loss this year was to Fort Hays State in Hays. The Bearcats give the MIAA three teams in this week’s poll.

See complete poll below…

– FHSU Sports Information –

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Jan. 10, 2012)
1. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn.  (14-0)
2. Kentucky Wesleyan (12-0)
3. Bellarmine, Ky. (11-1)
4. West Liberty, W.Va. (12-1)
5. Metropolitan State, Colo. (13-1)
6. Tarleton State, Texas (11-1 )
7. Southern Indiana (11-1)
8. Northern Kentucky 12-09
9. Colorado School of Mines (12-1)
10. Cal Poly Pomona (9-1)
11. Midwestern State, Texas (12-0)
12. Bowie State, Md. (9-1)
13. Winona State, Minn. (13-2)
14. Indiana, Pa. (10-2)
15. Christian Brothers, Tenn. (11-2)
16. Minnesota State-Moorhead (12-1)
17. Alabama-Huntsville (9-3)
18. Hillsdale, Mich. (13-1)
19. Fort Hays State, Kan. (10-3)
20. Montevallo, Ala. (12-2)
21. St. Cloud State, Minn. (11-2)
22. District of Columbia (12-1)
23. Missouri Southern (12-3)
24. Northwest Missouri State (12-1)
25. West Georgia (14-2)

Others receiving votes: Findlay (Ohio) 20, Western Oregon 20, Alaska-Anchorage 16, Arkansas-Monticello 15, South Carolina Aiken 13, Western Washington 10, Bentley (Mass.) 6, Charleston (W.Va.) 4, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 4, King (Tenn.) 3, West Texas A&M 3, Missouri-St. Louis 1.

Dropped out: Findlay (17), Alaska-Anchorage (18), Augustana (21), Arkansas Tech (22), Western Washington (23), Benedict (24).

Records and previous rankings are through games of Jan. 8, 2012.  The next poll will be released on Tuesday, Jan. 17.