PIKEVILLE, Ky. — With one regular-season game already under its belt, the University of Pikeville men’s basketball team received a No. 2 ranking in the NAIA Coaches’ Preseason Top-25 Poll, officials from the national office announced on Tuesday.
The No. 2 spot is the second highest preseason ranking in UPIKE history, trailing only the No. 1 spot it received following the 2011 NAIA National Championship. The Bears have now been in the second position in seven of the last eight polls dating back to last season.
That year, of course, included a program-best 31-3 overall record and league-record 17-1 mark in the Mid-South Conference. The Bears will have to replace their entire starting lineup, but already looked up to the challenge in a 100-63 win over Grace Bible (Mich.) on Monday.
Last season, there were seven difference teams ranked No. 1 in the nation, including Pikeville for two weeks before it was upset at Georgetown.
Four teams from the MSC were represented in the poll, including the Bears at No. 2, Georgetown at No. 8, Campbellsville coming in at No. 19 and Cumberlands rounding out the poll in a tie at No. 25.
Next up for UPIKE is a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Div. I opponents, including a 7 p.m. ET tipoff at Kentucky on Sunday, followed by another 7 p.m. tip at Tennessee on Monday.
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