Central Missouri is the only MIAA school in the top 25 currently. The defending national champion moved up from No. 10 in the first regular season poll to No. 6 this week, carrying a perfect 7-0 record. The Mules put that perfect mark to the test at Gross Memorial Coliseum inThursday in the first conference game of the season. The Mules were picked first in the MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll, while Fort Hays State was picked second.
Also receiving votes with the Tigers from the MIAA is Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats own an overall record of 5-1 going into MIAA play this week.
Fort Hays State has won the last three meetings with Central Missouri in Hays, which includes the 2012-13, 2011-12, and 2010-11 seasons. At least one of the teams were ranked in two of those three meetings. Central Missouri was No. 25 in the nation in 2011-12 and Fort Hays State won that game 67-66 on a last second tip-in by Karron McKenzie. Fort Hays State was No. 5 in the nation in 2010-11 and won handily 83-59.
Central Missouri’s last win in Hays occurred during the 2009-10 season by a score of 79-63, when both teams were ranked in the top 10, UCM at No. 3 and FHSU at No. 10. The Mules got revenge after the Tigers had knocked them from the No. 1 ranking in the nation earlier in the season in Warrensburg, which happens to be the last time FHSU won in Warrensburg. Both teams own three-game win streaks against each other on their home floors currently.
Rankings for December 2, 2014
| Team | Record | Points | ||
| 1. | West Liberty (W.Va.) (14) | 5-0 | 397 | |
| 2. | Southern Connecticut State | 6-0 | 378 | |
| 3. | Bellarmine (Ky.) (2) | 6-0 | 369 | |
| 4. | Florida Southern | 6-0 | 356 | |
| 5. | Indiana (Pa.) | 7-0 | 324 | |
| 6. | Central Missouri | 7-0 | 293 | |
| 7. | Tarleton State (Texas) | 5-0 | 288 | |
| 8. | Colorado-Colorado Springs | 5-0 | 283 | |
| 9. | Metropolitan State (Colo.) | 5-1 | 268 | |
| 10. | Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) | 6-0 | 242 | |
| 11. | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-0 | 215 | |
| 12. | Barrry (Fla.) | 5-0 | 195 | |
| 13. | Minnesota State | 5-1 | 191 | |
| 14. | Drury (Mo.) | 4-1 | 188 | |
| 15. | Alabama-Huntsville | 5-0 | 186 | |
| 16. | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 6-0 | 137 | |
| 17. | California Baptist | 5-1 | 122 | |
| 18. | Mount Olive (N.C.) | 7-0 | 93 | |
| 19. | Minnesota State-Moorhead | 7-0 | 87 | |
| 20. | Michigan Tech | 3-0 | 78 | |
| 21. | Findlay (Ohio) | 1-1 | 73 | |
| 22. | Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) | 5-0 | 66 | |
| 23. | BYU-Hawaii | 4-0 | 62 | |
| 24. | Christian Brothers (Tenn.) | 2-1 | 53 | |
| 25. | Florida Tech | 7-0 | 41 |
Others receiving votes: Colorado School of Mines 32, Northwest Missouri State 29, Newberry (S.C.) 23, GRU Augusta (Ga.) 21, Lewis (Ill.) 20, Azuza Pacific (Calif.) 13, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 9, Western Washington 9, Angelo State (Texas) 8, Chaminade (Hawaii) 8, Walsh (Ohio) 8, Chico State (Calif.) 7, St. Edward’s (Texas) 7, UNC Pembroke 7, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 6, Texas A&M-Commerce 6, Southern Indiana 5, Wingate (S.C.) 5, Wisconsin-Parkside 3, Cal Poly Pomona 2, Colorado Mesa 2, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 2, Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) 1, Tuskegee (Ala.) 1, UC San Diego 1.