Men's Basketball Receives Votes in Associated Press Top 25

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont men's basketball is among those receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the week of Feb. 28.

After defeating Mercer and Kennesaw State this past week to share the national lead in road/neutral court victories (15) with Brigham Young, the Bruins received one vote in this week's AP Top 25 poll.

This marks the seventh consecutive week Belmont has received votes in either the Associated Press or ESPN/USA Today coaches' national polls.

Belmont joins Brigham Young, San Diego State, Temple, UNLV, Utah State and Xavier as one of only seven non-BCS conference programs to receive AP Top 25 poll votes each of the past six weeks.

Belmont is among 14 programs receiving votes outside the Top 25 in the Associated Press poll, joining the likes of UCLA, Kansas State, West Virginia, and Cincinnati.

It is believed the last time an Atlantic Sun program received Top 25 votes this late in the season was 2000-01, when Georgia State received votes in the final seven polls.

Ohio State ranks first in both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball polls.

The Bruins are tied with Ohio State and Kansas for the NCAA lead in Division-I victories (27). Belmont also ranks among the nation's best in several respected college basketball ratings: No. 20 according to Basketball State, No. 21 according to Ken Pomeroy, and No. 36 according to Jeff Sagarin.

Belmont (27-4, 19-1 Atlantic Sun) returns to action Wednesday, Mar. 2 in the Atlantic Sun Conference Quarterfinals.