EMU Basketball

Before Win Over VWC, Runnin Royals Move Up To No. 14

The Eastern Mennonite men’s basketball team has moved up two more spots in the D3hoops.com national poll to No. 14. The rankings were released Monday night and were not affected by the Runnin Royals’ 86-71 win over now-No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan.

EMU is one of three ODAC teams in the top 14.

Led by their defense, R.J. Sims (center) and the Runnin Royals are on a six-game winning streak.
R.J. Sims (center) and the Runnin Royals are on a six-game winning streak.
George Johnson was perfect from the floor in the first half and finished with 18 points.
George Johnson was perfect from the floor in the first half Runnin Royals’ win over Virginia Wesleyan.

After falling to No. 18 a few weeks ago, the men have moved up two spots each of the past two polls, coming up from No. 16 this week.

The Runnin Royals are on a six-game winning streak which includes impressive wins over Randolph, rival Bridgewater and now Virginia Wesleyan. The Marlins had entered Monday’s game in first place in the ODAC.

VWC, which has lost two in a row, slipped one spot to No. 7 after Saturday’s loss at Hampden-Sydney. Randolph-Macon, which took over first place in the ODAC standings after EMU’s win over Virginia Wesleyan, moved up two spots to No. 9.

Whitworth, the lone undefeated team in D-III, held on to the nation’s top spot for the second week, receiving 21 of 25 possible first place votes. Williams got the other four and remained in second.

Amherst, which had been 21-0, suffered a pair of losses last weekend and fell from No. 3 to No. 8.

Augustana, Middlebury and Wooster round out the top five. UW-Stevens Point, VWC, Amherst, R-MC and WPI are sixth through tenth.

Eastern Mennonite wraps up its regular season this week, playing its final home game Wednesday against Washington & Lee and then closing at Guilford Saturday afternoon.

The Runnin Royals are 19-4 overall and 10-4 in ODAC play, tied for third with the Quakers.

See the entire Top 25 poll