UNI has maintained its national ranking in men's basketball, while Iowa State has jumped into the top 10.

For a second-straight week, UNI is 23rd in the Associated Press top-25 rankings, the latest of which were released today (Monday, December 29, 2014). Iowa State cracked the top 10 for the first time this season, climbing to No. 9 after being ranked 12th a week ago.

The Cyclones are 9-1 heading into their final non-conference home game of the season this week. Iowa State hosts Mississippi Valley State at 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, before its showdown with South Carolina in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday.

UNI, meanwhile, is heading into Wednesday's Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) opener at Evansville with an 11-1 mark. The Panthers completed their non-league slate on Sunday, beating South Dakota State 74-63 at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. (To read story on game, click HERE).

The victory was the eighth-straight for UNI at home, dating back to last season. The Panthers are giving up only 57.6 points per game, which leads the MVC. UNI has held the opposition to 55 points or less in eight of its 12 games this season.

Offensively, the Panthers have been getting significant contributions from their reserve players. UNI’s bench is currently averaging 32.0 points per game, which is the 11th-best total in the country.


The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 28, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

 teamRecordPtsPrv
1. Kentucky (65)13-01,6251
2. Duke10-01,5592
3. Virginia11-01,4575
4. Wisconsin12-11,3956
5. Louisville11-11,3274
6. Villanova12-01,3167
7. Gonzaga12-11,2498
8. Arizona12-11,2433
9. Iowa State9-11,00512
10. Utah9-295614
11. Texas10-29039
12. Maryland12-186915
13. Kansas9-277510
14. Notre Dame12-170916
15. St. John's11-169017
16. Wichita State10-263011
17. West Virginia11-158418
18. Oklahoma8-353019
19. North Carolina9-348320
20. Ohio State11-243521
21. Washington11-125313
22. Baylor10-123822
23. Northern Iowa11-121623
24. Colorado State13-019424
25. Georgetown8-3140

Others receiving votes: TCU 132, VCU 101, San Diego St. 40, Arkansas 27, George Washington 7, LSU 7, Old Dominion 7, Penn St. 5, UNLV 5, Indiana 4, Florida 2, Minnesota 2, Stanford 2, Army 1, California 1, Davidson 1.

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