Tuesday, January 29, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Metro State (Colo.) and Western Washington, the only two remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II, maintained their No. 1 and No. 2 rankings in this week's NABC Division II men's national basketball poll.

The Vikings (18-0, 9-0 in the GNAC) were outpointed in the poll 397-387.  Metro received 13 first-place votes, while the Vikings got three.

WWU, which has won a school-record 24 consecutive games, hosts Montana State Billings Thursday before entertaining No. 4 ranked Seattle Pacific (15-2, 8-1) Saturday.

Western set a school-record for consecutive wins last week defeating Alaska Anchorage 75-62 last Thursday to tie the record and Alaska Fairbanks 79-66 Saturday to establish a new standard.

Three West Region teams are ranked in the Top 5 including Cal Poly Pomona (15-1) at No. 5.

Western Washington is also ranked in the Top 10 in five different NCAA Divisional II national statistical categories this week, including third in scoring margin (20.4), fourth in three-point percentage defense (28.1), seventh in field goal percentage (50.7) and scoring (88.1) and eighth in rebounding (9.9).

Seattle Pacific is third in assist/turnover ratio (1.54), fifth in rebounding (10.6), seventh in assists (19.1) ninth in three-point percentage (41.6) and 10th in scoring margin (15.0).

Central Washington, which plays at Alaska Anchorage Thursday, is sixth in scoring (88.6).  The Seawolves are 10th in both three-pointers (9.6) and assists (18.6).

CWU's Mark McLaughlin, who leads the GNAC, ranks seventh nationally in scoring (23.7).  Also in the Top 10 are SPU's Jobi Wall, third in three-point percentage (49.5), Jonathan Hawkins of Northwest Nazarene, fourth in free throw percentage (93.8) and Kalob Hatcher of Montana State Billings, fourth in assist/turnover ratio (3.29).

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Jan. 27): Team (Top 30): Scoring –6. Central Washington 88.6; 7. Western Washington 88.1.  Scoring Defense – 15. Seattle Pacific 60.7.  Scoring Margin – 3. Western Washington 20.4; 10. Seattle Pacific 15.0.  Field Goal PCT. – 7. Western Washington 50.7. Three-Point Field Goals – 10. Alaska Anchorage 9.6; 24. Seattle Pacific 8.8.  Three-Point Percentage – 9. Seattle Pacific 41.6; 20. Alaska Anchorage 40.1; 27. Western Washington 39.7.  Three-Point Field Goal Defense – 4. Western Washington 28.1.  Free Throw PCT. – 18. Central Washington 75.3.  Rebound Margin – 5. Seattle Pacific 10.6;  8. Western Washington 9.9. Assists – 7. Seattle Pacific 19.1; 10. Alaska Anchorage 18.6; 16. Alaska Fairbanks 17.4. Assist/Turnover Ratio – 3. Seattle Pacific 1.54; 11. Alaska Anchorage 1.37; 30. Western Washington 1.19. Blocks – 12. Western Washington 5.2; 29. Northwest Nazarene 4.4. Fewest Turnovers – 11. Saint Martin’s 11.0.  Turnover Margin – 19. Central Washington 4.2. Fewest Fouls – 27. Saint Martin’s 15.8.   Individuals (Top 30): Scoring – 7. Mark McLaughlin, CWU, 23.7.  Field Goal PCT. – 23. Paul Jones, WWU, 59.1; 27. 27. Andy Avgi, WOU, 59.0  Three-Point Field Goals – 14. Jobi Wall, SPU, 3.18; 29. Kyle Fossman, UAA, 2.82.  Three-Point PCT. – 3. Jobi Wall, SPU, 49.5; 16. Kyle Fossman, UAA, 44.0; 17. Elijah Matthews, SFU, 44.0.  Free Throw PCT. – 4. Jonathan Hawkins, NNU, 93.8.  Assists – 18. David Downs, SPU, 5.6. Steals – 18. Devon Alexander, WOU, 2.59.   Assist/Turnover Ratio -  4. Kalob Hatcher, MSUB, 3.29; 12. Riley Stockton, SPU, 2.76; 19. Brady Bomber, SMU, 2.56; 21. David Downs, SPU, 2.53; 30 Jalen Little, UAA, 2.35.