The latest college basketball rankings are out, and the Long Beach State 49ers are starting to get noticed, ever so slightly. Long Beach State is ranked No. 34 this week in the Associated Press poll, a rise of three spots from last week. The 49ers also received votes in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, checking in at No. 37. Long Beach State received a single vote in the AP poll last week, ranked No. 37.
The 49ers last week outlasted UC Riverside 77-70 in overtime on Thursday night thanks to Casper Ware scoring 11 of his 18 points in the extra period, then beat Cal State Fullerton Titans 75-61 at home at the Walter Pyramid on Saturday. Long Beach State has won 17 consecutive regular season Big West Conference, and are poised to make their first NCAA Tournament since the 2006-2007 season.
Here is the AP poll top 10:
- Kentucky (63 first place votes)
- Syracuse (two first place votes)
- Ohio State
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Baylor
- Duke
- Kansas
- Michigan State
- Murray State
The Pac-12 Conference has had no teams ranked in the top 25 of either poll for nine consecutive weeks. Last week, the conference didn't even have a single school receive one measly vote in both polls, but this week the California Bears are in the "others receiving votes" section in the coaches poll, tied for 38th. No Pac-12 teams received votes in the AP poll. The Washington Huskies host the UCLA Bruins on Thursday night, with the USC Trojans coming to town on Saturday night.