By NoontimeSports.com | @NoontimeNation
Tufts University returned to the top of our weekly poll, thanks to an exciting (and impressive) win yesterday over second-ranked Colby College in the 2020 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship.
With the win, the Jumbos claimed their first-ever league tournament crown and will be at home this weekend for a first-round NCAA D-III Tournament game against Western Connecticut, which is one of our six teams ‘on the rise.’
Colby is headed to the postseason as an at-large bid and so is Springfield College, which will host a pair of first-round games, along with a second-round contest, too. The Pride remains one of our top teams in the region despite falling to Coast Guard Academy last weekend in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) semifinals.
WPI secured the fourth position after checking-in seventh one week ago while coach Jim Calhoun and the University of St. Joseph’s (Conn.) remained in the fifth position for the second-straight week. The Blue Jays won the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship against Albertus Magnus, which extended their current winning streak to 25 consecutive victories since late November.
Middlebury College, Babson College, and Amherst College secured the sixth, seventh, and eighth positions, respectively, while Nichols College joined the poll after winning three-straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) tournament outings, including a come-from-behind quarterfinal matchup against Roger Williams.
Brandeis University secured the final position with a 17-8 overall record. They capped their 2019-20 regular season slate with 72-69 win over New York University.
New England D-III Basketball Men’s Top 10 Week 14 Poll| Monday, March 2nd, 2020
| 1. Tufts University | 21-6, 8-2 NESCAC | Last Week: No. 3 |
| 2. Colby College | 24-3, 8-2 NESCAC | Last Week: No. 2 |
| 3. Springfield College | 22-4, 11-1 NEWMAC | Last Week: No. 1 |
| 4. WPI | 20-7, 10-3 NEWMAC | Last Week: No. 7 |
| 5. St. Joseph’s (Conn.) | 26-2, 11-0 GNAC | Last Week: No. 5 |
| 6. Middlebury College | 20-5, 6-4 NESCAC | Last Week: No. 6 |
| 7. Babson College | 20-6, 10-4 NEWMAC | Last Week: No. 4 |
| 8. Amherst College | 18-8, 7-3 NESCAC | Last Week: No. 8 |
| 9. Nichols College | 20-8, 12-4 CCC | Last Week: Not Ranked |
| 10. Brandeis University | 17-8, 9-5 UAA | Last Week: No. 10 |
ON THE RISE: Albertus Magnus, Coast Guard Academy, New England College, Trinity College, Western Connecticut, and Westfield State
Previous Polls: Preseason Poll |Week One| Week Two | Week Three| Week Four| Week Five |Week Six |Week Seven |Week Eight|Week Nine | Week Ten|Week 11|Week 12|Week 13
