The start of the new year is upon us, which means the intensity and excitement of conference play in HBCU basketball is in full effect. HBCUHoopsWeekly starts 2025 with the 2nd #HBCUHoopsWeekly NCAA Division 2/NAIA Composite Top 10 Men’s basketball poll for January. Some of the usual suspects are still there. Langston still looks like a legitimate contender for an NAIA National Championship, despite the early season stumbles. There are also some eye-opening additions to the poll for this month from some other places on the NCAA Division II/NAIA Landscape. Lincoln (PA) and Virginia State have turned the early campaign in the CIAA northern division into a two-team race, while Miles, Clark-Atlanta, and Edward Waters are making the race in the SIAC East a memorable one. Without further adieu, here’s the composite men’s basketball poll for January 2025:
#HBCUHoopsWeekly – HBCU NCAA D2/NAIA Top 10 MBB Poll (January):
1) Langston (OK) – Ranked #8 Nationally in NAIA; 13-2 Overall, 9-2 in SAC
2) Lincoln (PA) – 5-0 in CIAA Northern Div; 11-5 Overall (Ranked #7 in NCAA D2 Atlantic Region)
3) Virginia State – 5-0 in CIAA Northern Div; 10-4 Overall (Ranked #6 in NCAA D2 Atlantic Region)
4) Miles (AL) – 9-1 in SIAC, 2-0 in SIAC West Div; 12-3 Overall (Ranked #8 in NCAA D2 South Region)
5) Clark Atlanta (GA) – 7-1 in SIAC, 1-0 in SIAC East Div; 10-5 Overall (Ranked #10 in NCAA D2 South Region)
6) Edward Waters (FL) – 6-2 in SIAC, 1-0 in SIAC East Div; 10-5 Overall
7) Xavier (LA) – 10-3 in RRAC; 11-4 Overall, 11 Votes in NAIA Dec. 11 Poll
8) Tougaloo (MS) – 8-1 in HBCUAC West Division; 14-4 Overall (NAIA)
9) Philander Smith (AR) – 7-4 in HBCUAC West Division; 14-5 Overall (NAIA)
10) Dillard (LA) – 7-2 in HBCUAC West Division; 11-5 Overall (NAIA)
DROPPED OUT: Claflin (SC), Fayetteville State, Kentucky State
CONSIDERED: Claflin (SC), Florida Memorial, Shaw, Fayetteville State, Stillman (AL), Talladega (AL), Bluefield State (WV), Elizabeth City State (NC)
Stay tuned for the debut of season two of the #HBCUHoopsWeekly basketball podcast this Wednesday, January 15th, courtesy of the HBCUNightly Network, and stay tuned for more hoops content covering the best of HBCU Basketball at the NCAA Division I, Division II, and NAIA levels of basketball! #HBCUHoopsWeekly.