KANSAS CITY, Mo.  – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team has been ranked the 23rd best team in the nation in the weekly release of the National Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.

“Our players have worked really hard starting in the off-season and through our first five games this season,” said UAM head coach Mike Newell. “It’s always great to be nationally ranked because it brings national recognition to our program, which is not only great for our team, but for our university as well.”

The Weevils garnered enough votes to jump into the poll with two key wins over the past weekend against Virginia Union and Nova Southeastern.

“Any time you beat a perennial national power like Virginia Union, there are going to be some eyes opened from the coaches that vote on the poll,” Newell commented. “We beat both Virginia Union and Nova Southeastern by a double-digit margin, which hardly ever happens against teams like that. We’ve got a good team this year, but now we have to continue to play well and prove that we are one of the best teams in the nation.”

UAM has a handful a key non-conference battles remaining that could play a vital role in UAM’s movement in the poll. This weekend, the Weevils face off against West Florida and Montevallo in the Montevallo Classic. Other key non-conference games on the schedule include Texas A&M-Commerce and St. Edwards, followed by another contest with Montevallo in January.

“We’ve got some key games coming up shortly on our schedule,” said Newell. “This is the earliest that UAM has ever been ranked since I’ve been here, which means it’s going to be harder to maintain that national ranking. We are going to have to work hard to keep that ranking.”

The Weevils and No. 11 North Alabama are the only two GSC teams to earn spots on this week’s poll. UNA improved five spots from No. 16 in this season’s first poll. Ouachita Baptist received five votes this week.

The Weevils host Champion Baptist tonight (December 2) in a non-conference contest starting at 6 p.m. at Steelman Fieldhouse.

The Weevils are on the verge of winning their first six games of the season, which has never been done before by a UAM men’s basketball team. A win over Champion Baptist moves UAM to 6-0.