The Bethune-Cookman College Wildcats remains No. 1 while the Shaw University Bears is on top for the first time this year in the Boxtorow.com Historically Black College/University Division I and Division II/NAIA polls.
Bethune-Cookman, who has won its last seven games, received all but one first place vote to remain No. 1 for the third-straight week. The Wildcats are the top seed heading into this week’s MEAC Tournament. Hampton received the other first place votes and remains second this week. Texas Southern has won 10 of its last 11 and moved up one place to No. 3 in this week’s poll. Morgan State dropped to No. 4 while Coppin State debuted this week at No. 5.
In the Division II/NAIA top 10 poll, Shaw made the most significant jump this year by moving from No. 7 last week to the top spot. The Bears won four games last week in winning the 2011 CIAA tournament championship. Tougaloo won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship on Saturday and moved up two places to the No. 2 spot this week. Xavier (La.) dropped one place from last week to #3, while Bowie State dropped from the top spot a week ago to No. 4 this week. Stillman is at No. 5.
Benedict remained at No. 6 this week, while Winston-Salem State and West Virginia State are tied for seventh place. Clark-Atlanta who won the SIAC Tournament debuts at No. 9, while Elizabeth City State drops two places to No.10.
The Boxtorow.com basketball poll is presented by DWCommunications, LLC parent company of FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and boxtorow.com. FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW is the nationally syndicated radio sports talk show which places major emphasis on HBCU Sports. The voters are made up of media members from around the country who cover NCAA Division I, Division II and NAIA basketball.
