AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta State men’s basketball squad slipped four spots Tuesday in the national rankings, coming in at No. 12 in the 10th NABC/Coaches Poll of the 2009-10 season, according to a release from the NABC national office in Kansas City, Mo.

The Jaguars went 2-1 last week, falling 71-68 at USC Aiken on Monday, Jan. 25 before rebounding with road wins over Georgia Southwestern (76-65) and Columbus State (72-59) on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

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 46 consecutive weeks, dating back to the 2006-07 campaign. The Jaguars have been ranked in the top 20 for 35 consecutive weeks and have appeared among the nation’s top 10 in 24 of the last 26 polls.

ASU is one of two Peach Belt Conference members ranked among the top 25. Georgia College & State is No. 21, while league newcomer Montevallo -- No. 24 last week -- dropped out of this week’s poll.

The Jags host USC Aiken on Wednesday, Feb. 3 before traveling to Greenwood, S.C., on Saturday, Feb. 6 to take on Lander at 3:30 p.m., in Finis Horne Arena.

NABC/Coaches Poll
(through games of Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010)

                                        Record       Pts.      Pvs.

1.   Arkansas Tech (8)                   18-0        200          1
2.   Southern Indiana                    19-0        192          2 
3.   Central Missouri                    19-1        181          4
4.   Minnesota State                     19-1        169          5
5.   Valdosta State (Ga.)                19-2        161          6
6.   Indiana (Pa.)                       17-1        157          9
7.   Midwestern State (Texas)            19-1        154         10
8.   Fort Hays State (Kan.)              17-2        145          3
9.   Seattle Pacific (Wash.)             16-2        135         11
10.  Bentley (Mass.)                     18-2        119         12
11.  Florida Southern                    18-2        118         13
12.  AUGUSTA STATE                       17-2        115          8
13.  Mesa State (Colo.)                  17-1         94         14
14.  Drury (Mo.)                         17-3         93         15
15.  Kutztown (Pa.)                      16-2         92          7
16.  Kentucky Wesleyan                   21-3         91         16
17.  Rollins (Fla.)                      16-3         69         18
18.  Western Washington                  19-3         66         21
19.  Findlay (Ohio)                      15-3         52         23
20.  East Stroudsburg (Pa.)              18-1         47         22
21.  Georgia College & State             16-2         37        T25
22.  Quincy (Ill.)                       17-3         27         19
23.  Metropolitan State (Colo.)          16-3         22         20
24.  West Liberty (W.Va.)                14-1         16         NR
25.  Augustana (S.D.)                    16-4         15         17

Dropped out: Montevallo (24), Clark Atlanta (T25).

Others receiving votes: Tarleton State (Texas) 11, Clark Atlanta (Ga.) 9, Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) 4, 
St. Cloud State (Minn.) 4, West Virginia State 3, Central Oklahoma 1, Stonehill (Mass.) 1.

Records are through games of Jan. 31, 2010; Previous ranking is from Jan. 26 poll.