NAIA National Poll

     OLATHE, Kan. - The Texas Wesleyan men's basketball team received a #23 ranking in the latest NAIA National Poll released on Tuesday.

     The Rams had been ranked 37th the previous week, but moved up into the Top 25 with road victories over #11 LSU Shreveport (109-100) and Paul Quinn (99-86).

     Not included in this week's rankings was a 90-78-road victory over Southwestern Assemblies of God on Monday evening.

     Texas Wesleyan (10-5, 6-1 RRAC) is in first-place of the Red River Athletic Conference and has won six straight games. The Rams have also won nine of their last 10 games.

     Attributing to this year's success has been Texas Wesleyan's ability to shoot the ball. As a team, the Rams are shooting 48 percent (2nd RRAC) from the field, 41 percent (1st RRAC) from behind the arc and 71 percent (2nd RRAC) from the charity stripe. All of this combined has the Rams averaging 89.5 points a game, which is good enough for first in the conference and seventh in the nation.

     The Rams will be back in action Thursday when they host conference-rival Texas College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Sid Richardson Gymnasium. Texas Wesleyan leads the all-time series, 11-0, and won both meetings last season. The Rams defeated the Steers, 76-74 in Fort Worth, and 78-66, in Tyler.