/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27170175/20131112_jla_ab8_054.0.jpg)
The Ohio Bobcats had been moving their way up the Mid-Major Madness Power 15 for the past few weeks, but had not been able to swing enough votes to earn a spot. That changed this week thanks to wins over Ball State and Northern Illinois saw them improve to 13-4 on the season and 3-1 in the MAC.
Ohio sits in a tie for 15th in the poll this week with Mercer and just behind Saint Mary's and Louisiana Tech who sit in a tie at 13. With big MAC games against Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan on the schedule this week, the Bobcats could either see themselves become a fixture in these rankings, or fall out once again depending on how they play.
In another, more secluded, area of Hustle Belt, the UMass Minutemen have once again held steady at No. 2 behind Wichita State. Derek Kellogg's bunch have nearly lost every single one of their Atlantic 10 games, but have found ways to earn wins in each of them. Wichita State is undefeated and should remain as such for the foreseeable future, making UMass' ceiling the No. 2 spot unless they blow out St. Louis, Geogre Washington, or VCU at some point during conference play.
Here is the rest of the poll in its entirety.
Rank | School | Last Week |
1 | Wichita State Shockers (19-0,9 First Place Votes) | 1 |
2 | UMass Minutemen (16-1) | 2 |
3 | Saint Louis Billikens (17-2) | 3 |
4 | Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-3) | 4 |
5 | George Washington Colonials (15-3) | 7 |
6 | Harvard Crimson (14-2) | 6 |
7 | Green Bay Phoenix (15-3) | 8 |
8 | VCU Rams (14-4) | 5 |
9 | Toledo Rockets (15-2) | 12 |
10 | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (16-2) | 15 |
11 | Southern Miss Golden Eagles (16-3) | 14 |
12 | Indiana State Sycamores (13-4) | 13 |
t-13 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (15-4) | 10 |
t-13 | Saint Mary's Gaels (14-5) | NR |
t-15 | Ohio Bobcats (13-4) | NR |
t-15 | Mercer Bears (15-5) | NR |
Dropped Out: New Mexico State, Dayton
Also Receiving Votes: Georgia State, BYU, La Salle, Dayton, New Mexico State, Delaware, North Dakota State, Florida Gulf Coast, Princeton, Richmond
Voters: Parks Smith, Ben Miraski, Mike Bundt- UB Bull Run, Ryan Peters- Big Apple Buckets, Jake Fischer, Chris Hondros, Will Maupin, Liam Jones , Dan Bogle