AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta State men’s basketball squad dropped two spots Tuesday in the national rankings, slipping to No. 8 in the ninth NABC/Coaches Poll of the 2009-10 season, according to a release from the NABC national office in Kansas City, Mo.

The Jaguars went 1-0 last week, registering an 89-43 victory over UNC Pembroke in Christenberry Fieldhouse. ASU’s 71-68 upset loss at USC Aiken on Monday, Jan. 25 didn’t factor into the voting totals.

ASU earned the highest ranking in school history for any of the Jaguars 11 varsity sports on Tuesday, Jan. 12 when it moved up to No. 1 in the nation. The ranking also marked the first time in the Peach Belt Conference’s 20-year history that a men’s basketball team has been ranked No. 1 in the nation.

With the ranking, ASU has now appeared in the top 25 for a school-record 45 consecutive weeks, dating back to the 2006-07 campaign. The Jaguars have been ranked among the nation’s top 10 in 24 of the last 25 polls.

ASU is one of three Peach Belt Conference members ranked among the top 20. League newcomer Montevallo is 24th while Georgia College & State entered the poll at No. 25.

The Jags depart for a two-game road trip on Thursday, Jan. 28. ASU travels to Americus, Ga., to take on Georgia Southwestern at 7:30 p.m., in the Storm Dome, then faces Columbus State in the Lumpkin Center on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3:30 p.m.

NABC/Coaches Poll
(as of Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010)

                                      Rec.      Pts.      Pvs.
1.   Arkansas Tech (7)                 18-0      199        1
2.   Southern Indiana                  17-0      191        4
3.   Fort Hays State (Kan.) (1)        16-1      183        5
4.   Central Missouri                  17-1      164        7
5.   Minnesota State                   17-1      155        3
6.   Valdosta State (Ga.)              18-2      153        8
7.   Kutztown (Pa.)                    15-1      151        2
8.   AUGUSTA STATE                     15-1      146        6
9.   Indiana (Pa.)                     15-1      141        9
10.  Midwestern State (Texas)          16-1      134       11
11.  Seattle Pacific (Wash.)           14-2      123       12
12.  Bentley (Mass.)                   16-2      106       14
13.  Florida Southern                  16-2      104       16
14.  Mesa State (Colo.)                15-1      89        17
15.  Drury (Mo.)                       15-3      83        19
16.  Kentucky Wesleyan                 19-3      72        13
17.  Augustana (S.D.)                  16-2      66        23
18.  Rollins (Fla.)                    14-3      61        20
19.  Quincy (Ill.)                     16-2      60        10
20.  Metropolitan State (Colo.)        15-2      53        22
21.  Western Washington                17-3      33        15
22.  East Stroudsburg (Pa.)            16-1      29        25
23.  Findlay (Ohio)                    13-3      21        NR
24.  Montevallo (Ala.)                 15-2      19        18
25.  Clark-Atlanta (Ga.)               13-1      14        NR
25.  Georgia College & State           13-2      14        NR

Dropped out: West Virginia State (21), Southwest Baptist (24).    

Others receiving votes: West Liberty (W.Va.) 12, Stonehill (Mass.) 10, Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) 6, 
West Virginia State 6, Central State (Ohio) 1, Tarleton State (Texas) 1.

Records are through games of Jan. 24, 2010; Previous ranking is from Jan. 19 poll.