Little Change in West Region Women’s BB Poll (Feb. 2, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – For the third straight week the Montana State-Billings women’s basketball team is ranked ninth in the NCAA West Region poll.  The Yellowjackets (14-5) defeated Western Oregon last week before losing to Division I North Dakota State.  MSU Billings will play at fifth-ranked St. Martin’s (13-4) on Thursday.

The top ten ranked teams in the region were the same ten that were ranked in last week’s poll.  The only changes were some shuffling in the middle of the poll.  Seattle Pacific (17-1) remained at No. 1 followed by Western Washington (16-2) at No. 2.  SPU defeated Western last week, but it wasn’t enough to move the Vikings down in the poll.

The changes in this week’s poll included: Cal State-Bakersfield dropped from No. 3 to No. 6; Cal State-Dominguez Hill fell from No. 4 to No. 7; Cal State-Chico moved up from No. 5 to No. 3; St. Martin’s moved up from No. 6 to No. 5; and Cal Poly Pomona moved up from No. 7 to No. 4.  Along with the top two teams, the bottom three teams in the poll remained the same with Cal State-San Bernardino at No. 8, MSU Billings at No. 9 and UC-San Diego at No. 10.  The top eight teams in the season’s final poll will be invited to the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA West Region Women’s Basketball Poll
(Records through games of January 30, 2005.)

#  Team (overall record, regional record)
1. Seattle Pacific (17-1, 14-0)
2. Western Washington (16-2, 12-2)
3. Cal State-Chico (14-3, 13-3)
4. Cal Poly Pomona (13-4, 9-3)
5. St. Martin’s (13-4, 8-2)
6. Cal State-Bakersfield (13-4, 9-3)
7. Cal State-Dominguez Hills (10-6, 9-2)
8. Cal State-San Bernardino (12-5, 8-4)
9. Montana State-Billings (14-5, 8-4)
10. UC-San Diego (10-7, 8-4)