Mid-Major Top 25, Christmas Edition: Cleveland State Derailed as No. 1

Rank. Team (Previous Rank)

1. Old Dominion Monarchs (2)

Record: 9-2, 0-1 CAA

RPI: 14

Old Dominion has won four straight games since losing to Delaware. The Monarchs will play their second game against a Top 25 team on December 30 when they play at Missouri.

Key Wins: Xavier (Neutral), Richmond (Home), Dayton (Home)

Key Losses: Delaware (Road)

2. Cleveland State Vikings (1)

Record: 13-1, 2-0 Horizon

RPI: 10

Cleveland State picked up its first loss of the season, dropping a road game against West Virginia. The Vikings rebounded with a win over South Florida. 

Key Wins: Iona (Home), Kent State (Home)

Key Losses: None

3. Wichita State Shockers (3)

Record: 9-2

RPI: 50

Wichita State has won four straight games and will start conference play against Evansville on December 29.

Key Wins: Virginia (Neutral)

Key Losses: None

4. George Mason Patriots (5)

Record: 9-2, 1-0 CAA

RPI: 68

George Mason is riding a seven-game winning streak. The Patriots wrap up a three-game road trip at Dayton on Wednesday.

Key Wins: Harvard (Home), Florida Atlantic (Home)

Key Losses: Wofford (Neutral)

5. Gonzaga Bulldogs (15)

Record: 7-5

RPI: 58

After losing three straight games, Gonzaga has picked up solid wins over Baylor and Xavier. It looks as though the Bulldogs might be putting things together here in mid-December.

Key Wins: Marquette (Neutral), Baylor (Neutral), Xavier (Home)

Key Losses: Washington State (Road)

6. Kent State Golden Flashes (4)

Record: 9-3

RPI: 40

Kent State rebounded from losses to UAB and Florida with wins over South Florida and Youngstown State. The Golden Flashes play Morehead State on Tuesday.

Key Wins: Iona (Neutral)

Key Losses: UAB (Road)

7. Drexel Dragons (23)

Record: 8-2, 1-0 CAA

RPI: 18

Drexel's six-game winning streak, which included a win at Louisville, was snapped in a loss to Syracuse. 

Key Wins: Louisville (Road)

Key Losses: None

8. St. Mary's Gaels (6)

Record: 10-2

RPI: 57

St. Mary's will get a chance for a key win against Mississippi State on Wednesday.

Key Wins: St. John's (Home)

Key Losses: None

9. Butler Bulldogs (10)

Record: 8-4, 1-0 Horizon

RPI: 22

Butler has won its last four games. The Bulldogs will play in the Diamond Head Classic championship against Washington State.

Key Wins: Florida State (Neutral)

Key Losses: Evansville (Home)

10. Utah State Aggies (14)

Record: 11-2

RPI: 45

Utah State has won 10 of its last 11. The Aggies start conference play against Hawaii on Thursday.

Key Wins: None

Key Losses: None

11. Missouri State Bears (8)

Record: 8-3

RPI: 82

Missouri State defeated Saint Louis and Arkansas State to rebound from a loss at Oklahoma State.

Key Wins: None

Key Losses: Tulsa (Road) 

12. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (16)

Record: 10-2, 1-0 Big South

RPI: 67

Coastal Carolina is in the midst of an eight-game winning streak. The Chanticleers continue conference play against Radford on New Year's Eve.

Key Wins: None

Key Losses: Charleston (Road)

13. Portland Pilots (17)

Record: 10-3

RPI: 34

Portland struggled to pick up key wins in OOC play. The Pilots will get the chance to pick up some solid wins against good mid-majors in the WCC.

Key Wins: Florida Atlantic (Home)

Key Losses: Washington State (Road)

14. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (7)

Record: 7-4, 1-0 CAA

RPI: 83

Virginia Commonwealth has lost two of its last three. The Rams wrap up OOC play against Wofford on Wednesday.

Key Wins: UCLA (Neutral)

Key Losses: South Florida (Road), UAB (Road)

15. North Texas Mean Green (13)

Record: 10-2

RPI: 80

North Texas has won its last three games. The Mean Green starts conference play against Arkansas-Little Rock on Thursday.

Key Wins: None

Key Losses: Sam Houston State (Road)

16. Northern Iowa Panthers (20)

Record: 9-3

RPI: 48

Northern Iowa has won its last five games. The Panthers open conference play against Missouri State on Wednesday.

Key Wins: TCU (Road), New Mexico (Neutral)

Key Losses: Milwaukee (Road), Iowa (Road)

17. Charleston Cougars (11)

Record: 8-4, 2-0 SoCon

RPI: 122

Charleston's four-game winning streak ended with a loss to Clemson. The Cougars will play No. 19 Tennessee on Friday.

Key Wins: Coastal Carolina (Home)

Key Losses: Clemson (Home)

18. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (12)

Record: 7-8, 2-0 Summit

RPI: 72

Oakland has not lived up to the hype since defeating Tennessee. The Golden Grizzlies have lost to Michigan, Valparaiso and Ohio State since then.

Key Wins: Tennessee (Road)

Key Losses: Valparaiso (Home)

19. Lipscomb Bisons (9)

Record: 7-3, 2-0 A-Sun

RPI: 99

Lipscomb's winning streak came to an end with a loss at Alabama. The Bisons play another tough road game against No. 16 Memphis on Thursday. 

Key Wins: None

Key Losses: Alabama (Road)

20. Princeton Tigers (25)

Record: 9-3

RPI: 45

Princeton has won seven straight games since losing to Presbyterian. The Tigers play Northeastern next week in the UCF Holiday Classic.

Key Wins: Rutgers (Home)

Key Losses: James Madison (Road), Presbyterian (Neutral)

21. Jacksonville Dolphins (Not Ranked)

Record: 7-3, 2-0 A-Sun

RPI: 114

Jacksonville ended a two-game slide with a win at nationally ranked Florida. The Dolphins play their final OOC game against Bethune-Cookman on Thursday.

Key Wins: Florida (Road)

Key Losses: Winthrop (Road), Saint Louis (Road)

22. Valparaiso Crusaders (Not Ranked)

Record: 9-4, 2-0 Horizon

RPI: 92

Valparaiso has won its last three games. The Crusaders look to continue the streak on Tuesday against Ball State.

Key Wins: Oakland (Road)

Key Losses: Ohio (Road), Toledo (Road)

23. James Madison Dukes (Not Ranked)

Record: 9-3, 0-1 CAA

RPI: 78

James Madison play a tough game at Kent State on New Year's Eve. The Dukes will then look for their first conference win against Northeastern in their first game in January.

Key Wins: Princeton (Home)

Key Losses: Georgia State (Road)

24. Vermont Catamounts (19)

Record: 8-3

RPI: 41

Vermont is 2-2 in its last four games. The Catamounts picked up a good win at Iona in their last game.

Key Wins: Iona (Road)

Key Losses: Fairfield (Road)

25. Harvard Crimson (22)

Record: 7-3

RPI: 66

Harvard is 2-2- in its last four games. The Crimson look to rebound from a loss to Connecticut against Monmouth on Wednesday. 

Key Wins: Colorado (Home)

Key Losses: None

Added: Jacksonville, Valparaiso, James Madison

Dropped: Iona, Murray State, Loyola (IL)

Considered: Akron, Belmont, Creighton, Fairfield, Hampton, Iona, Loyola (IL), Montana, Murray State, Northern Arizona