AUGUSTA, Ga. -- After splitting a pair of contests last week to open Peach Belt Conference play, Augusta State dropped to No. 14 in the latest NABC Coaches Poll, released late Tuesday afternoon from the national headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.

ASU (4-2) fell out of the top 10 one week after earning the highest national ranking in school history. The Jags moved up to No. 5 in last week’s poll following three straight wins to open the season, including a 93-70 victory over Johnson C. Smith in their home opener on Nov. 24.

The ranking marked the first-ever appearance in the top five for the Jaguars. ASU has nine days off before resuming its non-conference schedule with Paine on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Bentley (Mass.) and Grand Valley State (Mich.) remained the top two teams in the nation, while the rest of the top five received a shakeup. South Dakota moved up to No. 3, with Rollins (Fla.) and Winona State (Minn.) sliding into the No. 4 and 5 spots, respectively.

USC Aiken joined the Jaguars this week as the only Peach Belt Conference schools in the top 25. The Pacers (5-0) cracked the top 25 after handing ASU its first loss of the season on Wednesday, Nov. 28, edging the Jags 70-67 in the USCA Convocation Center.

ASU rebounded from its initial loss with a 74-54 victory over Georgia College & State on Saturday, Dec. 1. The Jags then traveled to Athens on Monday, Dec. 3 and nearly upset Georgia before the Bulldogs rallied late for an 81-74 victory in Stegeman Coliseum.

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll
(records are through Sunday, Dec. 2)

                                          Record    Points    Pvs.
1.  Bentley (Mass.) (4)                    6-0       190       1
2.  Grand Valley State (Mich.) (3)         8-0       188       2
3.  South Dakota                           7-0       184       6
4.  Rollins (Fla.)                         5-0       166       8
5.  Winona State (Minn.)                   8-1       163       7
6.  Cal State-San Bernardino (1)           7-0       162       9
7.  Emporia State (Kan.)                   4-0       150       10
8.  Drury (Mo.)                            5-0       142       11
9.  Findlay (Ohio)                         4-1       113       4
10. Seattle (Wash.)                        5-0       111       13
11. Northwest Missouri State               5-1       108       3
12. St. Cloud State (Minn.)                6-0       106       14
13. Southwestern Oklahoma State            7-0       104       18
14. AUGUSTA STATE                          4-1       99        5
15. Virginia Union                         1-0       92        12
16. BYU-Hawaii                             2-0       66        20
17. Central Oklahoma                       6-1       60        21
18. Central Missouri                       5-0       59        22
19. Fairmont State (W.Va.)                 6-0       56        25
20. USC Aiken                              5-0       40        NR
21. West Georgia                           5-1       35        23
22. Nebraska-Omaha                         6-0       31        NR
23. Seattle Pacific (Wash.)                4-1       26        NR
24. Mount Olive (N.C.)                     4-1       25        15
25. Merrimack (Mass.)                      5-0       21        NR