MACON, Ga. – The Mercer men’s basketball team continues to garner accolades following the resounding success the team has enjoyed during the first two weeks of the 2008-09 season and has been rewarded with a No. 10 ranking in the latest CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Poll – the highest in school history.
The Bears also received votes in the latest Associated Press Poll and the wins at Alabama and Auburn boosted Mercer to the top RPI ranking in the nation according to collegerpi.com last week.
Following last season’s upset of Southern Cal, Mercer was ranked 25th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 and also received votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls. The Bears’ 2003 A-Sun regular-season championship squad team climbed as high as No. 21 in the Mid-Major Top 25.
“It’s great for the school and the athletics department but the most important part of the schedule is still ahead.” Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman said. “It is great recognition for the hard work the players are putting in.”
The Bears are at the University of Dayton Tuesday night to play the Flyers in front of more than 12, 000 fans in the second round of the Chicago Challenge Invitational Tournament. The can be heard live at 7:30 p.m. at www.mercerbears.com or on tape replay at 10 p.m. on ESPN Radio, 105.5 The Fan in Macon with Rick Cameron, the Voice of the Bears, doing the play-by-play.
Complete Poll
1. Gonzaga (28) 2-0 769 1
2. Davidson (2) 3-1 741 2
3. St. Mary’s 3-0 697 3
4. Creighton 3-0 675 4
5. Siena 2-0 623 5
6. Kent State 3-0 574 7
7. VCU 2-1 567 6
8. Butler 3-0 483 10
9. Illinois State 4-0 478 21
10. Mercer (1) 3-1 424 NR
11. San Diego 2-2 396 9
12. Stephen F. Austin 1-1 386 11
13. Old Dominion 1-1 384 13
14. Middle Tennessee 2-1 362 17
15. Southern Illinois 2-2 274 12
16. Arkansas-Little Rock 3-0 267 NR
17. American 3-1 251 23
18. Cleveland State 1-2 189 8
19. Northeastern 3-1 171 NR
20. Portland State 3-0 164 NR
21. Cornell 2-2 159 18
22. VMI 3-1 109 25
23. Mount St. Mary’s 1-1 94 22
23. Miami (Ohio) 1-2 94 14
25. Rider 2-1 72 NR
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Ohio 67, Belmont 65, George Mason 63, Evansville 43, College of Charleston 39, Cal State Northridge 34, Akron 33, Wright State 31, Portland 30, Tennessee Tech 28, Bradley 25, Manhattan 20, Missouri State 20, Murray State 16, Oakland 14, Iona 13, Loyola (Chicago) 13, Tennessee-Martin 13, Morgan State 12, Lamar 10, North Texas 10, Drake 9, Hampton 9, Towson 9, Oral Roberts 8, Maine 5, Niagara 5, Jacksonville State 4, UNC-Asheville 4, Colgate 3, Hofstra 3, Northern Arizona 3, Wisconsin- Milwaukee 3, Wisconsin-Green Bay 3, Boston University 1, Florida Atlantic 1, IPFW 1, Savannah State 1, South Carolina State 1
