The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has recognized the Wayland Baptist Pioneers as NAIA Team of the Week.
The Pioneers were honored following last week's winning performances against two top-20 teams, which Wayland defeated by a combined 42 points. Those convincing wins helped the Pioneers jump from 21st to 11th in today's NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
On Thursday, the Pioneers defeated then No. 20 Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 96-74. Six players scored in double figures, and Wayland shot 74 percent (14-of-19) from 3-point range. The Pioneers collected eight blocks by six different players.
On Saturday, Wayland downed then No. 12 Mid-America Christian, the 2016 national champion, 75-55, putting the Pioneers in sole possession of first place in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Five players scored in double-digits for WBU in the win, and two recorded double-doubles. Wayland held a 49-27 rebounding advantage.
"It finally kind of looks the way I hoped it would at the start of the season. This is a great team win," WBU coach Ty Harrelson said.
On Monday, Wayland improved to 13-3 on the season and 6-2 in the SAC with another 20-point victory, 94-74 over Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Pioneers next play at No. 21 Oklahoma City at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Other teams honored by NABC as teams of the week were Oklahoma (NCAA Division I), Wisconsin-Parkside (Division II), Hiram, Ohio (Division III), and Kirkwood, Iowa (NJCAA).
2017-18 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – No. 3 (Jan. 16)
| RANK |
LAST WEEK^ |
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) |
2017-18 RECORD |
TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 |
3 |
William Penn (Iowa) (4) |
16-1 |
215 |
| 2 |
8 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (4) |
17-0 |
211 |
| 3 |
4 |
LSU Shreveport (La.) (1) |
16-1 |
205 |
| 4 |
5 |
The Master's (Calif.) |
18-1 |
201 |
| T5 |
7 |
Columbia (Mo.) |
18-1 |
186 |
| T5 |
1 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
17-1 |
186 |
| 7 |
9 |
Hope International (Calif.) |
18-1 |
176 |
| 8 |
10 |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
16-2 |
167 |
| 9 |
T12 |
Central Methodist (Mo.) |
17-1 |
163 |
| 10 |
2 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
16-2 |
155 |
| 11 |
21 |
Wayland Baptist (Texas) |
12-3 |
146 |
| 12 |
6 |
Pikeville (Ky.) |
16-2 |
143 |
| T13 |
18 |
Dalton State (Ga.) |
13-4 |
132 |
| T13 |
17 |
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
14-4 |
132 |
| 15 |
20 |
Science & Arts (Okla.) |
13-3 |
123 |
| 16 |
16 |
Montana Western |
14-3 |
111 |
| 17 |
19 |
Missouri Baptist |
15-3 |
102 |
| 18 |
T24 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
14-3 |
95 |
| 19 |
T24 |
William Carey (Miss.) |
12-4 |
88 |
| 20 |
NR |
Westmont (Calif.) |
14-3 |
86 |
| 21 |
14 |
Oklahoma City |
11-4 |
81 |
| 22 |
NR |
Xavier (La.) |
13-4 |
76 |
| 23 |
NR |
Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) |
12-6 |
65 |
| 24 |
11 |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
13-4 |
55 |
| 25 |
NR |
Life (Ga.) |
13-5 |
50 |
Others Receiving Votes: SAGU (Texas) 33; Vanguard (Calif.) 33; Peru State (Neb.) 24; Langston (Okla.) 17; Montana State-Northern 14; Campbellsville (Ky.) 10; Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 10; Talladega (Ala.) 3; Texas Wesleyan 3.
Dropped Out: No. 12 (tie) Mid-America Christian (Okla.); No. 15 Campbellsville (Ky.); No. 22 William Jessup (Calif.); No. 23 Arizona Christian
^ Previous ranking occurred Jan. 2, 2018 (Poll No. 2)
