Lions climb to no. 17 in nation at 14-3
Highest ranking in school history
Team on road for next three games
WAXAHACHIE, Texas聽 — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll was released on Tuesday afternoon. Moving up to no. 17 was Southwestern Assemblies of God University , their highest ranking since joining the NAIA over a decade ago.
The Lions are now 14-3 after winning twice last week. They defeated Our Lady of the Lake University , 77-70, in San Antonio.
It was SAGU鈥檚 first win in four tries over OLLU at the Mabee Gymnasium.
The Saints, 27-8 a year ago, won the Red River Athletic Conference and handed the Lions their largest loss of the season 98-79, in the Alamo City.
Our Lady (10-7 overall, 8-3 in RRAC) was the clear pre-season pick of RRAC coaches, and have the talent to finish in first for the third time in their five year history.
The Lions are 8-2 in league games with 12 more to play. Seven of those games are at home.
Less than two days after the OLLU win, Team Purple tamed Paul Quinn College , 67-55, at the Tigers鈥 Den in southeast Dallas.
SAGU was no. 21 a week ago, having garnered 94 voting points. Their previous high in the Coaches Poll occurred on December 4, when they were no. 20 and picked up 111 points. This week saw them collect 142.
Three other RRAC members appear, including Texas College (13-4) at no. 24. They were at no. 10 just a week ago, but key injuries led to a pair of narrow setbacks; 74-72 at Wiley College and 55-51 to Jarvis Christian College .
SAGU plays this Saturday, Jan. 19,聽in Hawkins, Texas at 4:00pm against Jarvis (6-10, 4-6 RRAC).
Texas Wesleyan University (13-5, 8-4 RRAC) is among those receiving votes, at no. 28, while LSU-Shreveport (11-4, 7-3 RRAC) is no. 33. 
All three of the Lions losses came to teams in the poll; no. 7 Westmont College (69-65 in OT), Wesleyan and LSUS鈥 all at home.
SAGU has won聽each of their聽ten games away from home. Last winter the Lions were 15-8 in contests played on the road or at neutral sites (tournaments).
The team鈥檚 M.O. is defense, allowing the opposition to make just 37% of their shots. That figure rates #2 in the nation.
Rebounding also describes this club. The Lions are #3 in the NAIA in grabbing offensive boards to the tune of 16 per game, and are #5 in total rebounds at 43 per contest.
The Lions are also in the Top 25 in making three-point baskets (7.3 per game) and in steals (10.4 pgm).
For a complete list of individual statistics for players, click here:
SAGU has two road games next week; Tuesday at Texas College (13-5, 8-4 RRAC) and Thursday at Wiley College (11-6, 6-4 RRAC).
The Lions next home game is a week from Saturday, Jan. 26, when Bacone College visits at 7:30pm.
All eight of the team鈥檚 final home games will be broadcast in HD by SAGU Sports Live . Visit their Facebook fan page for a video tribute to the Lions unbeaten streak on the road.
The most recent home game, Jan. 5 versus St. Thomas (11-4, 6-3 RRAC) is available to watch now. Go to the SAGU website home page and click on the Watch SAGU TV button, then go to SPORTS.
Contact : Mark 鈥淟ink鈥 Warde , SAGU Sports Information Director, at [email protected] or at 469-658-2847.
NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll
Rank聽聽 Team (State) Record聽 Points
1聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Columbia (Mo) (11)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 17-0聽聽聽 281
2聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Pikeville (Ky)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 17-1聽聽聽 271
3聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)聽聽聽聽聽聽 18-1聽聽聽 256
4聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 William Carey (Miss)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-2聽聽聽 254
5聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Oklahoma Baptist聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-3聽聽聽 252
6聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lee Univ聽(Tenn)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽15-1聽聽聽 232
7聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Westmont College聽(Cal)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 14-3聽聽聽 222
8聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Cal State San Marcos聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-4聽聽 聽209
8聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lindsey Wilson (Ky)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 16-2聽聽 聽209
10聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 John Brown (Ark)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-3聽聽聽 188
11聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Evangel Univ聽(Mo)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 13-4聽聽 聽187
12聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Montana State-Northern聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 16-3聽聽 聽181
13聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Xavier (La)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-3聽聽 聽173
14聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Cumberlands (Ky)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 15-3聽聽 聽168
15聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bethel (Tenn)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 17-2聽聽 聽166
16聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hope International (Cal)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 17-1聽聽 聽145
17 SAGU (Tex)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 14-3聽聽聽 142
18聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Emmanuel College聽(Ga)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 16-2聽聽聽 121
19聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Westminster (Ut)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 14-4聽聽聽 120
20聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rogers State (Ok)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 13-5聽聽聽 119
21聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Faulkner Univ聽(Ala)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 16-3聽聽聽聽 82
22聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Philander Smith (Ark)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 12-4聽聽聽聽 78
23聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Univ of Science & Arts (Ok)聽聽聽聽 8-4聽聽聽聽 77
24聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Texas College聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 13-4聽聽聽 76
25聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan)聽聽 14-5聽聽聽 74
Others Receiving Votes : Arizona Christian 60; Concordia (Cal) 34; Texas Wesleyan 31; Southern-New Orleans (La) 28; Oklahoma City 18; Culver-Stockton (Mo) 13; Shawnee State (Oh) 9; LSU Shreveport (La) 7; Mid-Continent (Ky) 3.
Columbia College received all 11 first place by the eleven balloters.
The next poll will be released on Jan. 22, 2013 from www.naia.org