Northern Iowa Guts Out Win to Stay No. 1: Mid-Major Top 25

1. Northern Iowa Panthers (1)

Record: 21-2, 12-1 MVC

RPI: 15

Northern Iowa got their revenge with a win over Wichita State, and then late heroics by Adam Koch gave the Panthers a win over Southern Illinois.

Key Wins: Boston College (Neutral), Siena (Home), Wichita State (Home)

Key Losses: Depaul (Neutral)

2. Gonzaga Bulldogs (2)

Record: 19-4, 7-1 WCC

RPI: 27

Gonzaga played well after losing to San Francisco. The Bulldogs beat Portland, and then two days later won at Memphis.

Key Wins: Cincinnati (Neutral), Wisconsin (Neutral), Illinois (Road) St. Mary's (Road), Memphis (Road)

Key Losses: Wake Forest (Home), San Francisco (Road)

3. Butler Bulldogs (3)

Record: 20-4, 13-0 Horizon

RPI: 17

Butler beat Wright State on Saturday to clinch at least a share of the Horizon League regular season title.

Key Wins: Northwestern (Road), Ohio State (Home), Xavier (Home)

Key Losses: Minnesota (Neutral)

4. Siena Saints (4)

Record: 20-4, 13-0 MAAC

RPI: 30

Siena has the longest winning streak in the nation at 15. The Saints destroyed Iona on Friday, moving their magic number for a regular season conference title to one.

Key Wins: Northeastern (Home), Fairfield (Road), Iona (Road)

Key Losses: Northern Iowa (Road)

5. St. Mary's Gaels (5)

Record: 21-3, 8-1 WCC

RPI: 37

St. Mary's has won six straight games since losing to Gonzaga. The Gaels play Gonzaga again on Feb. 5 in what could be a game for first place in the WCC.

Key Wins: Utah State (Road), San Diego State (Home)

Key Losses: Vanderbilt (Road)

6. Cornell Big Red (7)

Record: 20-3, 6-0 Ivy

RPI: 45

Cornell had some struggles in the first half with Brown, but in the end, the Big Red won 74-60.

Key Wins: Alabama (Road), Harvard (Home)

Key Losses: None

7. Murray State Racers (8)

Record: 22-3, 13-0 OVC

RPI: 97

Murray State beat Austin Peay on a buzzer beater on Saturday night to keep their undefeated record in the OVC.

Key Wins: Eastern Kentucky (Home), Morehead State (Home)

Key Losses: Louisiana Tech (Road)

8. Old Dominion Monarchs (6)

Record: 18-7, 10-3 CAA

RPI: 36

Old Dominion lost at VCU on Saturday. The Monarchs have now lost two out of their last three.

Key Wins: Marshall (Home), Georgetown (Road), William & Mary (Road)

Key Losses: Richmond (Road), George Mason (Road)

9. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (10)

Record: 17-5, 9-4 CAA

RPI: 57

Virginia Commonwealth beat Old Dominion for their fourth straight win.

Key Wins: Oklahoma (Road), Richmond (Home), William & Mary (Home), ODU (Home)

Key Losses: Western Michigan (Road), Drexel (Road)

10. Wichita State Shockers (11)

Record: 20-5, 9-4 MVC

RPI: 46

Wichita State came from behind to beat Indiana State and avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Key Wins: Texas Tech (Home), Illinois State (Home), Northern Iowa (Home)

Key Losses: Creighton (Home), Drake (Road)

11. Northeastern Huskies (14) 

Record: 16-8, 11-2 CAA

RPI: 55

Northeastern won their third game in a row in a 75-55 rout of Hofstra. The Huskies have a one game lead in the CAA.

Key Wins: Wright State (Home), VCU (Road), GMU (Home), ODU (Home)

Key Losses: Boston U (Road), Drexel (Road), Western Michigan (Neutral), Drexel (Home)

12. George Mason Patriots (9)

Record: 15-9, 10-3 CAA

RPI: 120

George Mason has lost two games in a row. With these losses, the Patriots dropped into a tie for second place in the CAA.

Key Wins: Indiana (Neutral), ODU (Home)

Key Losses: Tulane (Road), Radford (Road), Georgia State (Road)

13. Harvard Crimson (12)

Record: 15-5, 4-2 Ivy

RPI: 89

Harvard struggled against Princeton on Friday, losing 56-53. The Crimson rebounded from their two game slide with a win over Penn.

Key Wins: William & Mary (Home), Boston College (Road)

Key Losses: Army (Road), Princeton (Home)

14. Portland Pilots 

Record: 14-8, 5-3 WCC

RPI: 91

Key Wins: Minnesota (Neutral), UCLA (Neutral)

Key Losses: Portland State (Home), Idaho (Road)

15. Morgan State Bears (18)

Record: 16-7, 8-0 MEAC

RPI: 127

Morgan State remains undefeated in the MEAC.

Key Wins: Arkansas (Road)

Key Losses: Appalachian State (Road), Loyola Maryland (Road)

16. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (16)

Record: 19-4, 7-2 WAC

RPI: 69

Louisiana Tech has had some recent struggles, losing two out of their last four.

Key Wins: Murray State (Home), Houston (Road)

Key Losses: Arizona (Road), San Jose State (Road), New Mexico State (Home)

17. Northern Colorado Bears (17)

Record: 18-5, 7-3 Big Sky

RPI: 100

Northern Colorado has won three of their last four as they try to make a run for a conference championship.

Key Wins: Montana (Road), Weber State (Home)

Key Losses: Portland State (Road)

18. Iona Gaels (Not Ranked)

Record: 17-7, 9-4 MAAC

RPI: 78

Iona had an eight game winning streak snapped at Siena. The Gaels were picked to finish in the bottom of the MAAC, but they are looking like the second best team in the conference.

Key Wins: Creighton (Neutral), Providence (Road), Fairfield (Home)

Key Losses: Canisius (Road)

19. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (24)

Record: 18-8, 12-1 Summit

RPI: 74

Oakland has won three straight games since losing to IUPUI.

Key Wins: Green Bay (Home), IUPUI (Home)

Key Losses: Eastern Michigan (Home)

20. College of Charleston Cougars (21)

Record: 16-8, 11-2 SoCon

RPI: 87

Charleston has won three straight games. The Bears still have a one and a half game lead on Wofford in the SoCon.

Key Wins: UNC (Home), Wofford (Road)

Key Losses: East Tennessee State (Road), Hawaii (Road)

21. Sam Houston State Bearkats (Not Ranked)

Record: 16-5, 8-0 Southland

RPI: 71

Sam Houston State has won all eight of their games in the Southland. The Bearkats have a rematch with second place Texas A&M-CC this coming week.

Key Wins: Rider (Neutral), Auburn (Road)

Key Losses: Cleveland State (Road), Western Michigan (Road)

22. Kent State (Not Ranked)

Record: 17-7, 8-2 MAC

RPI: 70

Kent State has won seven straight games to take a one game lead in the MAC.

Key Wins: UAB (Home), Morehead State (Road), Wofford (Neutral), Akron (Home)

Key Losses: Green Bay (Home), Bowling Green (Home)

23. Morehead State Eagles (Not Ranked)

Record: 17-7, 11-2 OVC

RPI: 110

Morehead State is still two games behind Murray State in the OVC. The Eagles have a two game road trip this week.

Key Wins: East Tennessee State (Home), Austin Peay (Home)

Key Losses: Austin Peay (Road)

24. Green Bay Phoenix (23)

Record: 16-9, 8-5 Horizon

RPI: 131

Green Bay ended a two game slide with a win over Milwaukee. 

Key Wins: Wisconsin (Home), Wright State (Home), Detroit (Home)

Key Losses:Milwaukee (Road), Cleveland State (Road), Valporaiso (Home)

25. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (Not Ranked)

Record: 21-4, 11-2 Big South

RPI: 150

Coastal Carolina rebounded from their loss to Winthrop with wins over Gardner-Webb and UNC Ashville to find their way back into the top 25.

Key Wins: Charleston (Home), Indiana State (Neutral)

Key Losses: Cal State Northridge (Neutral), Radford (Home), Winthrop (Road)

Conference Breakdown:

CAA: 4

WCC: 3

Horizon: 2

Ivy: 2

MAAC: 2

MVC: 2

OVC: 2

Big Sky: 1

Big South: 1

MAC: 1

MEAC: 1

SoCon: 1

Southland: 1

Summit: 1

WAC: 1

Added (Alphabetically):  Coastal Carolina, Iona, Kent State, Morehead State, Sam Houston State

Dropped: Illinois State, Missouri State, Western Carolina, Western Kentucky, William & Mary

Considered: Drexel, Illinois State, IUPUI, Montana, Princeton, Stephen F Austin, Utah State, Weber State, William & Mary, Wofford, Wright State