HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – For the first time in the NCAA Division I era, the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team has entered into one of the nation's mid-major polls. After receiving ten votes in last week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, the Norse jumped up to 89 points in this week's rankings and into 24^th.
 
NKU sits at 8-3 overall and joins fellow Horizon League brethren Valparaiso and Oakland in the poll. Valpo is third, while Oakland is 10^th.
 
Northern Kentucky holds wins over Eastern Illinois and Eastern Washington, both of which are receiving votes. Gonzaga tops the poll, while Iona lies just ahead of Northern Kentucky in 23.
 
This week also marks the first appearance for NKU in the Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings. The Norse moved into the receiving votes category.
 
The team is riding a five-game winning streak, which started with a road win over Morehead State and has also included triumphs over Norfolk State, Eastern Illinois, SEMO and Eastern Washington. Northern Kentucky has also won seven of its last eight games and is tied for the most road wins in the nation with four (as of Sunday's results).
 
It's a busy week for the Norse, who just defeated Eastern Washington, 70-48, on Sunday with both Carson Williams and Cole Murray pouring in 17 points apiece. Williams added nine rebounds and was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. NKU hosts Brescia at BB&T Arena in a 7 p.m. start on Wednesday before traveling to Morgantown, West Virginia, for a showdown with Bob Huggins and No. 11/12 West Virginia at 4 p.m. on Friday.
   
 
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 (Dec. 19)
                                                RECORD      POINTS         PREVIOUS  
1.         Gonzaga (31)            11-0     775      1          West Coast
2.         UT Arlington                9-3       693      3          Sun Belt
3.         Valparaiso                   9-2       688      4          Horizon
4.         Wichita State               9-3       680      2          Missouri Valley
5.         UNCW                        10-1     652      5          Colonial
6.         Saint Mary's                8-1       635      6          West Coast
7.         Fort Wayne                 9-3       629      7          Summit
8.         Monnouth                   9-2       568      9          Metro Atlantic
9.         ETSU                          9-2       534      11        Southern
10.       Oakland                       9-1       450      10        Horizon
11.       Chattanooga                8-3       445      8          Southern
12.       New Mex. St.              10-2     355      15        Western Athletic
13.       Ohio                            7-2       354      13        Mid-American
14.       BYU                           7-4       317      12        West Coast
15.       Illinois State                6-3       298      18        Missouri Valley
16.       Loyola (Chi.)               10-2     280      17        Missouri Valley
17.       Akron                          8-3       263      24        Mid-American
18.       Tennessee St.              8-2       235      20        Ohio Valley
19.       Arkansas St.                9-2       210      21        Sun Belt
20.       UL Lafayette               9-3       149      19        Sun Belt
21.       Charleston                   8-3       140      25        Colonial
22.       Little Rock                   9-2       121      22        Sun Belt
23.       Iona                             7-3       102      23        Metro Atlantic
24.       Northern Kentucky     8-3       89        NR      Horizon
25.       Sam Houston State      8-3       82        NR      Southland
 
 
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Belmont 80, Northern Iowa 67, Florida Gulf Coast 64, Vermont 52, Eastern Michigan 28, Yale 20, Princeton 17, North Dakota State 16, Northeastern 13, Samford 12, Central Michigan 11, Evansville 11, Grand Canyon 11, Lehigh 11, Winthrop 11, Eastern Illinois 10, Texas A&M Corpus Christi 10, CSU Bakersfield 9, San Francisco 9, Stephen F. Austin 9, Elon 8, South Alabama 8, UNC Asheville 6, Utah Valley 5, Eastern Washington 4, Albany 1, UC Irvine 1, UT Martin 1.