We really thought as the season went on that things would play out and the Top 25 Poll, especially the 20-35 range, would be easier to slot teams into. In all reality, it is tougher now then it was to start the season! There aren’t a ton of surprises inside the Top 10. These are the teams that have been the most dominant and most consistent this season. We haven’t budged off of Loyola as our #1 team in the NAIA. Their only loss was a Top 25 road loss, without All-American, Myles Burns. The last four games they have been absolutely dominant, including a thrashing of Faulkner. William Penn is a talented and veteran group who have found ways to win all year long. Indiana Wesleyan has completely dominated one of the best leagues in the NAIA. Out west you have a grouping of William Jessup, Arizona Christian, Montana Tech, Carroll, College of Idaho and others who are all very capable of making a serious run at the National Tournament. However, as we enter the final two weeks of the regular season, there are still a lot of teams on the backend who quite honestly are interchangeable. Not everyone can make the Top 25 though, so while there are plenty of analytics to compare teams on paper with, ultimately, we used a combination of the SOS, RPI and our “eye test” to sort teams out. While we aren’t perfect, we have watched every team inside our Top 50 teams. Most of those we have watched multiple times. Does that make us right? No, of course not, but we do feel like we have a pretty solid feel of teams who don’t just have the best records, but those who are also playing the best basketball right now! There are a handful of teams across the country, who are better than there records. Many of which got off to slow starts to the season, but for whatever reason, have started to really click. Going to be a fun final two weeks of the regular season. As always, the official NAIA Coaches Poll will be out on Wednesday. It will be tough for the raters once again this week!
- Loyola (LA) 22-1
- William Penn (IA) 23-1
- William Jessup (CA) 24-2
- Indiana Wesleyan 23-3
- Arizona Christian 24-3
- Talladega (AL) 21-2
- Thomas More (KY) 20-3
- Georgetown (KY) 21-3
- Carroll (MT) 23-3
- College of Idaho 22-4
- Oklahoma Wesleyan 24-2
- Science & Arts (OK) 20-4
- Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) 17-5
- Montana Tech 22-5
- Faulkner (AL) 19-5
- Olivet Nazarene (IL) 22-3
- St Francis (IN) 20-6
- Marian (IN) 18-4
- Hope International (CA) 18-6
- Briar Cliff (IA) 17-7
- Stillman (AL) 16-4
- Southeastern (FL) 20-5
- Grace (IN) 19-7
- IU Kokomo 23-3
- IU South Bend 19-4
