As the wins continue to pile up for the Minot State men’s basketball team there is a similar rise in the national attention being garnered by the Beavers, which is reflected in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday.

Although the Beavers aren’t ranked, they made a significant jump following home victories over Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul last weekend. Minot State received 18 points in the latest poll, which was a 17-point increase from last week, and sit just outside of the top 25 rankings.

“We are building a program here that can win on a consistent basis, develop young men and make a difference on campus and in our community,” said head coach Matt Murken. “If we continue to do those things then rankings, and things of those nature, will take care of themselves.

“We’ve always believed in ourselves and I’ve always been proud of what our guys do, but the more games you win the more it opens the eyes of everyone outside of the program.”

Minot State, which is 16-2 overall and 10-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, has received votes in the national poll for seven consecutive weeks. The 18 points surpassed the previous high of 11 points Minot State received on Dec. 26.

Minot State returns to the road for a pair of NSIC games this weekend. The Beavers face Bemidji State on Friday (Jan. 19) at 8 p.m. and then meet Minnesota Crookston on Saturday (Jan. 20) at 6 p.m.

— Minot State athletics