MISSOULA – The first-place Montana Grizzlies can’t climb any higher in the Big Sky Conference standings, but their impressive mid-season stretch continues to move them up in the eyes of national voters.
The Griz climbed three spots to 21st in this week’s collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Poll. A 67-52 win at rival Montana State last Saturday improved Montana’s record to 14-5 overall and 7-0 in the Big Sky.
The only two mid-major teams to beat the Grizzlies this year also make an appearance in the poll. UC Santa Barbara ranks 17th, and Georgia State is just outside the top 25. The Panthers received the 26th-most votes.
Montana returns to Missoula to host Southern Utah Thursday night and Northern Arizona on Saturday. Both games tip off at 7 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena.
collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Poll
ranking-school-record-points-previous-conference
1. Saint Mary’s (28) 19-2 772 2 West Coast
2. Gonzaga 17-4 746 1 West Coast
3. New Mexico State 17-3 712 3 Western Athletic
4. Louisiana 17-3 664 4 Sun Belt
5. ETSU 16-4 640 5 Southern
6. South Dakota State 17-5 601 6 Summit
7. BYU 17-4 582 7 West Coast
8. Loyola Chicago 16-4 526 9 Missouri Valley
9. South Dakota 17-5 481 11 Summit
10. Stephen F. Austin 16-3 453 10 Southland
11. Buffalo 14-5 380 19 Mid-American
12. Furman 14-6 376 8 Southern
13. Wofford 14-5 366 13 Southern
14. Vermont 16-5 359 16 America East
15. Charleston 14-6 286 15 Colonial
16. Missouri State 15-6 251 12 Missouri Valley
17. UC Santa Barbara 14-5 221 18 Big West
18. UNC Greensboro 14-5 191 20 Southern
19. Georgia Southern 14-6 159 14 Sun Belt
20. Albany 16-6 155 21 America East
21. Montana 14-5 153 24 Big Sky
22. Belmont 15-6 152 NR Ohio Valley
23. Northern Kentucky 14-6 106 NR Horizon
24. Northeastern 13-7 103 NR Colonial
25. Wright State 15-6 67 25 Horizon
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Georgia State 63, Murray State 59, Drake 48, Toledo 46, Bucknell 42, Towson 41, Grand Canyon 37, Utah Valley 30, San Diego 20, William & Mary 20, Penn 19, Hawaii 16, FGCU 15, Idaho 15, Seattle 15, Akron 14, UT Arlington 13, Canisius 11, Lamar 10, Portland State 10, Jacksonville State 9, Bethune Cookman 7, Evansville 6, Cal State Fullerton 3, North Carolina A&T 1, Radford 1, Nichols State 1, Wagner 1.
