High Point MBB Returns To Mid-Major Top 25 Poll

HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the second time in three weeks, the High Point University men’s basketball team (19-7, 10-4) is ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.

The Panthers re-enter the poll at No. 24 in front of the No. 25 South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Gonzaga tops the Feb. 2 rankings, followed by Northern Iowa (No. 2), Wichita State (No. 3), Murray State (No. 4) and Valparaiso (No. 5).

HPU earned its first ever ranking in the poll on Feb. 2 when the Panthers took the No. 22 spot. After dropping out of the poll last week, wins over Winthrop and Campbell vaulted the Panthers back into the national mid-major rankings.

High Point sits in a tie for first place in the Big South standings with Charleston Southern and Radford. HPU has won the last two Big South regular season championships and has advanced to post-season play in each of the past two seasons. The Panthers reached the NIT in 2014 and earned a berth in the CIT in 2013.

HPU is led by Henson Award nominee John Brown, who was named Big South Player of the Week Monday after averaging 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and shooting 60.9 percent (20-29) from the field during the 2-0 week for HPU.

Note: Now in its 16th season of existence, the Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic. The poll is voted on by a 31-member panel of head coaches from different mid-major universities across the nation.