Orediggers Hold Steady at No. 12 in Coaches’ Poll

In Frontier Conference, Local, Montana Tech, Polls
January 26, 2023
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By MT Tech Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) released the fifth edition of the NAIA Men’s Basketball Coaches Top 25 Poll today. The Montana Tech Orediggers held steady at No. 12.

The Orediggers (18-3, 6-2) have been ranked in nine straight polls now going back to February 7, 2022. This is the first season Tech has been in the polls each week of the season going back to the 2000-01 season when the coaches’ top 25 was started. The 18-3 start is the best record since the 1990-91 season for an Oredigger men’s basketball team.

Tech finished the two-week period with a three-game conference road trip, the longest string of conference away games this year. MSU-Northern tested the Orediggers stamina pushing them to two overtimes on Kelvin Sampson Court before hitting the road.
The Orediggers extended their home winning streak to 24 at the HPER Complex winning 89-85.

The Orediggers went 3-1 during that time. Tech ran past Montana Western and Rocky Mountain in the second half of each game, but the road trip ended with an 84-77 loss at Carroll College snapping a nine-game win streak going back to the middle of December.

Montana Tech is the only Frontier Conference institution in the top 25 or receiving votes.

The first three teams remained the same in the national poll. The College of Idaho (18-1) is still the top team picking up a few more first place votes and receiving 18 of the 20 available. Oklahoma Wesleyan (19-1) received the other two first place votes and is No. 2 with Langston (Okla.) (18-1) at No. 3.

No. 9 William Penn (Iowa) (18-2) and No 10 Georgetown (Ky.) (18-3) jumped over Tech into the top 10 from their previous positions at No. 13 and No. 15. No. 11 Jamestown (N.D.) (17-3) slid up as well from No. 14.

Montana Tech returns home this Thursday. The Orediggers host the University of Providence (12-9, 6-2) on Kelvin Sampson Court. The Argos are tied with the Orediggers in the league standings with one team taking the top spot after the 7 p.m. game this Thursday.