Women’s Hoops ranked #15; FMU at UNCP on Wednesday

The Francis Marion University women’s basketball team moved up two positions to 15th in this week’s USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 poll. Both FMU basketball teams will play a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at UNC Pembroke on Wednesday.
The women’s game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m.
The Francis Marion women (19-1, 12-1) have won 10 straight games and own a 1.5 game lead in the PBC standings. The 19-1 mark equals the third-best start in team history. Francis Marion defeated UNCP (10-11, 6-8) earlier this season in Florence by an 81-59 count.
Francis Marion leads the all-time series 35-17.
The Patriot men (13-7, 6-7) have won three of their last games and are fifth in the Peach Belt standings. FMU beat UNCP (5-16, 2-12) by 13 points in Florence on Jan. 14.
The Patriots have narrowed the gap in the all-time series, but still trail 32-26.


USA TODAY ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES' POLL (Week 10 Poll: February 10, 2009)

Rank Institution (First Place Votes) Prev Record Points
1. Univ. of Alaska-Anchorage (28) 1 22-1 700
2. Fort Lewis College (Colo.) 3 18-1 667
3. Minnesota State Univ.-Mankato 5 21-1 637
4. Northern Kentucky University 6 19-2 591
5. Hillsdale College (Mich.) 7 19-2 569
6. California Univ. of Pennsylvania 2 18-3 526
7. West Texas A&M University 9 19-3 510
8. Emporia State University (Kan.) 4 19-3 472
9. Washburn University (Kan.) 10 19-3 465
10. University of California, San Diego 12 21-2 459
11. Indiana University of Pennsylvania 13 18-3 385
12. Michigan Technological University 8 17-2 364
13. University of Central Oklahoma 14 18-3 353
14. Tusculum College (Tenn.) 15 18-3 314
15. Francis Marion University (S.C.) 17 19-1 310
16. Saint Mary's University (Texas) 21 19-2 241
17. Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) 19 15-4 220
18. University of District of Columbia 16 19-3 189
19. Quincy University (Ill.) NR 20-3 179
20. Stonehill College (Mass.) 11 17-5 160
21. Rollins College (Fla.) 18 18-3 126
22. Minnesota State Univ.-Moorhead 20 17-5 83
23. Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.) 22 19-3 72
24. Clayton State University (Ga.) NR 17-4 67
25. Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) 24 16-5 53

Others Receiving Votes: Holy Family University (Pa.) - 52; Gannon University (Pa.) - 39; Clark Atlanta University (Ga.) - 35; Fayetteville State University (N.C.) - 32; Virginia State University - 32; Arkansas Tech University - 26; Saint Cloud State University (Minn.) - 25; University of South Carolina-Aiken - 23; Delta State University (Miss.) - 15; Georgia College & State University - 15; Fort Valley State University (Ga.) - 13; Bentley University (Mass.) - 11; University of Arkansas-Monticello - 11; Augustana College (S.D.) - 10; Molloy College (N.Y.) - 10; Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 9 ; University of West Georgia - 8; Pittsburg State University (Kan.) - 7; Northwood University (Mich.) - 6; American International College (Mass.) - 3; University of Indianapolis (Ind.) - 3; University of Tampa (Fla.) - 2; Drury University (Mo.) - 1.

By Michael G. Hawkins