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Providence men's basketball ranked program-best 8th in latest NAIA poll

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(UP Argos Media Release)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first Top 25 Poll of the season, the University of Providence men's basketball team was ranked No. 8 overall. The ranking is the highest ranking the Argo men's basketball team has ever recorded. Previously, the highest they had achieved was No. 12 in 2014-2015.

"We're excited about it," head coach Steve Keller said. "We're in new territory here with that ranking. But we know it also doesn't mean anything at this point. We have to back that up. We're proud to be that high and we're going to work hard to try and maintain it."

The Argos (5-0) are the highest ranked team in the Frontier Conference. Lewis-Clark State is ranked No. 14 and Montana State-Northern is ranked No. 17. Carroll received votes, but ultimately wasn't ranked.

Despite the historic ranking, Keller said there wasn't any added pressure for the team to perform as they begin conference play.

"We won't discuss it with them much," he said. "They'll be reminded what got them to this point and that we have to continue to get better. It's early in the year."

Keller, who is in his second year with the Argos, hopes to maintain the ranking throughout the year as he continues to work towards his goal of building the Argos into a national contender.

"I think we're on the right path," Keller said. "We're the number one team in our league right now but we haven't started conference yet. That starts next week. We have to take care of business and then be ready to go next week."

The Argos next game is against Yellowstone Christian, Saturday in Havre.

2019-20 NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll 1 (Nov. 27, 2019)

RANKLAST WEEKSCHOOL [1st place votes]RECORDFINAL POINTS
11Georgetown (Ky.) [9]8-0219
22The Master's (Calif.)6-0208
T318Mid-America Christian (Okla.)9-0198
T317Loyola (La.)10-0198
55Pikeville (Ky.)10-0195
64William Penn (Iowa)8-1186
711LSU Shreveport (La.)6-1178
812Providence (Mont.) (Mont.)5-0171
93Wayland Baptist (Texas)6-1164
1010Arizona Christian5-1153
116LSU Alexandria (La.)5-2146
12NRJohn Brown (Ark.)8-0145
138Talladega (Ala.)8-1123
1423Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)8-0118
15RVHope International (Calif.)8-0111
16RVXavier (La.)9-3110
1719Montana State-Northern4-0109
18NRLife (Ga.)8-0105
1914Stillman (Ala.)7-2101
2024Park (Mo.)5-188
21NRDalton State (Ga.)7-185
22NRWestmont (Calif.)7-064
23NRThomas More (Ky.)8-058
24RVDillard (La.)7-452
25NRTougaloo (Miss.)7-146

Dropped from the Top 25: William Carey (Miss.), Vanguard (Calif.), Central Methodist (Mo.), Benedictine (Kan.), Wiley (Texas), Campbellsville (Ky.), Science & Arts (Okla.), Peru State (Neb.), Cumberlands (Ky.)

Others Receiving Votes: SAGU (Texas) 33, Lyon (Ark.) 25, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 22, Science & Arts (Okla.) 17, Carroll (Mont.) 17, Peru State (Neb.) 17, Texas College 14, Central Baptist (Ark.) 12, Bethel (Tenn.) 7, Shawnee State (Ohio) 6.