We have a new No. 1 in the DII menâs basketball Power 10 rankings. Now, Nova Southeastern is still very good, but a loss to Palm Beach Atlantic sees the Sharks drop a few spots. The Sailfish seem to have the Sharks number; Nova Southeastern has two losses in the past two seasons, and both are to Palm Beach Atlantic.
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That opened the door for Washburn to take over the No. 1 spot. The Ichabods are a perfect 9-0 ahead of a huge showdown at the loaded River City Classic against fellow Power 10ers, Lubbock Christian and West Texas A&M. This mini in-season tournament could blow up the next rankings with others in the conversation also on hand.
Remember, the Power 10 rankings are mine and don't reflect the input of any voting body or the NCAA selection committee. It is a combination of selection committee metrics and what is happening on the court, a blend of the national polls and regional rankings, if you would. I no longer rely on KPI as a deciding factor, as (for one of several reasons) it takes the complete schedule played into consideration (meaning wins against NAIA and JUCO schools). I will be using performance index and RPI more strongly moving forward. As a reminder, the Power 10 rankings are every other week, so there is a lot more fluctuation than a typical weekly ranking.
The DII menâs basketball Power 10 (through Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025)
No. 1 Washburn | Previous: 2. As already mentioned, the Ichabods are the new top dog. They have played much closer games the past week or so and have some tough teams on the horizon. Still, they have played a schedule with a .606 winning percentage, have a top 15 scoring offense, a top five scoring defense and a top three scoring margin. The âBods are playing very good basketball all around right now.
No. 2 Daemen | Previous 3. Daemen had to exorcise some demons this past weekend. The Wildcats had one loss last season, and it was in upset fashion to their ECC rival St. Thomas Aquinas in the second round of the NCAA tournament to end their season. They handled business and exacted revenge on STAC Sunday to move to 12-0 on the season. This team has a wealth of scorers and skill players and the Wildcats should run through the conference and even the East Region undefeated once again. Of course, anyone can lose, but Daemen havs the talent to run the table in its region.
No. 3 Nova Southeastern | Previous: 1. Yes, the Sharks lost, but letâs not overlook how well Palm Beach Atlantic has played thus far in 2025. This wasnât a loss to a bad team, and it was close; Nova Southeastern lost by a mere five points. This is a team that has national championship experience in Dallas Graziani, Ross Reeves and Ryan Davis that will take this loss and learn from it. The Sharks' returning talent and new additions from the portal are too talented to not rebound quickly from this lone loss.
No. 4 West Texas A&M | Previous: 7. The Buffs shoot up the rankings thanks to several losses in front of them. They have a big week ahead at the River City Classic with games against a sneaky tough Central Missouri and Washburn. This is a talented team, averaging 94.1 points per game behind a balanced scoring attack featuring four players scoring in double figures. They also have a huge leg up in a very tough South Central region with an undefeated start, the last team in a loaded conference that can boast that accomplishment.
No. 5 Lubbock Christian | Previous: 4. Yes, the Chaps finally lost a game, but the numbers donât lie. Lubbock Christian still has the No. 2 PI in the South Central, per Inkblot Sports, which currently appears to be the toughest conference in DII right now. They also have the No. 4 RPI against a pretty tough schedule. The Chaps have a solid scoring defense, allowing 67.5 points per game, and they will need it as they embark on an absolutely brutal six-game stretch against No. 1 Washburn, Central Missouri, Dominican (NY), West Liberty, No. 7 St Edwardâs, and St. Maryâs (TX). The Chaps could be as high as No. 1 or out of the top 25 depending on how this stretch goes.
No. 6 Southern Nazarene | Previous: 5. The Crimson Storm are a curious bunch, but I am keeping them ranked this high for now because they remain undefeated. They don't score a lot, but they are still winning games by a hair over 10 points per game. The Storm also havenât played the toughest schedule, but the GAC doesnât have too many contenders that will stand in their way. This is a team that could benefit from the current momentum they are on and remain highly ranked all year.
No. 7 St. Edwardâs | Previous: Just missed. The Hilltoppers make their 2025 Power 10 debut after an electric 11-1 start that has them with Inkblot Sports top RPI in the South Central. Theyâll be at the River City Classic as well this week but have winnable matchups against Fort Lewis and Central Oklahoma. Blake Nielsen (18.5 points per game) leads a balanced offense which is powered by a stingy defense that allows just 63.1 points per game. The Lone Star Conference is going to be fun to watch this year.
No. 8 Gannon | Previous: Just missed. The Golden Knights continue their ride up and down the Power 10. They have the metrics as they are 6-0 in the Atlantic and have the top RPI and PI in the region. They also score a ton of points, averaging 96.9 per game which is a top 5 mark in DII. Four starters are averaging double figures in scoring, and Pace Prosser and the Morgan brothers (Lucas and Mackenzie) are as formidable a Big Three as the Atlantic Region has to offer.
No. 9 Anderson (SC) | Previous NR. The Trojans make their first trip into the Power 10 rankings in program history. They are a perfect 7-0 in the Southeast Region, the only team remaining that is undefeated in the region. They currently hold the top RPI and PI in the Southeast, which is what helped them surpass North Georgia and bump the Nighthawks. The Trojans have a top 5 scoring offense (96.6 points per game) and are blowing teams out by an average of 30 points per game. This team is deep in scoring, which they will need, because the SAC looks like it will be a tough race at the top.
No. 10 (tie) Michigan Tech, Missouri S&T | Previous 10 and First Five Out, respectively. This was too close to call, so for now, both of these Midwest Region powers get to reside in the Power 10. Missouri S&T holds the edge in the metrics with a stronger strength of schedule and the top PI in the Midwest. Michigan Tech is just a gritty team that I think will win the Midwest, which helps the Huskies hang around the top 10. Both have a DII star in the Miners' Andrew Young and Huskies' Marcus Tomashek. Letâs see how these two perform over the holiday tournaments.
Just missed (in alphabetical order)
- Arkansas-Fort Smith: The Lions are one of nine remaining undefeated teams and have the top PI and No. 2 RPI in a region that has both Washburn and Southern Nazarene, which tells you what you need to know right there.
- Black Hills State. Remember when the Yellow Jackets went to back-to-back DII Menâs Elite Eights? This team is looking like that right now, and Cam Lowe is on fire.
- Fairmont State. The Fighting Falcons have won five in a row and are now 7-1. There are four players who can put it in the basket regularly, so teams will have to score a lot of points to beat them.
- Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears had a tough start to the season, losing to Power 10ers Daemen and Michigan Tech at the SCB Hall of Fame Classic, but have gone 8-1 since. This team has a ton of talent and is figuring it out.
- North Georgia. The Nighthawks dropped their first game of the season, a tough one at that to Lander. A.J. White is a tough player, averaging 19.4 points per game, and this team still has what it takes to win the PBC.
- Palm Beach Atlantic. Hear about any good upsets lately? The Sailfish aren't just here because of that win, they are also off to a 9-0 start, scoring 92.7 points per game and beating teams by an average of 23.0 points.
- Point Loma: This will cause some question marks: How is undefeated Cal State East Bay not in and two-loss Point Loma is? The Sea Lions have exprience and too much talent to let a few early season losses drag them down. This team is very good.
- St. Maryâs (TX). The Rattlers finally dropped a game this season and are now 7-1 overall. They don't score a lot, but have one of the stingier defenses in DII, so let's see how they do at the River City Classic.
- West Liberty. Not to sound like a broken record, but these Hilltoppers have almost an entirely new rotation with a new coaching staff learning one of the more complex game strategies in DII. They seem to be figuring it out now and at 6-1 look dangerous.
Also considered (in alphabetical order): Cal State East Bay, Florida Southern, Miles, UVA Wise, West Alabama
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