Kansas City, Mo. -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels received 35 votes in the latest NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25  poll, the most of any non-ranked team this week.  The Evangels are unofficially the No. 26-ranked team this week and are on the verge of joining the national poll for the first time in school history. 

The Evangels are coming off a 2-1 week that saw them win 81-74 at OCU for the first time since joining the NAIA and also knock off their second top-25 team of the season with a 72-65 victory over then No. 21-ranked USAO.  

Overall this season, the Evangels have defeated a pair of Top 25 squads, also winning 93-84 at then No. 9-ranked Rogers State University back on Jan. 5 in Claremore, Okla.

Senior guard Charlie Shorter is leading the Sooner Athletic Conference with 21.7 points per game, while junior forward Angelo Lewis is sixth in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg), tied for second in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and is tops in the SAC in steals (2.4 spg) and field-goal percentage (.581).  Senior guard Camilo Valencia is fifth in the conference in assists (3.7 apg). 

The Evangels (10-7, 5-3 SAC) will have a chance to leap into the Top 25 and beyond by embarking on a five-game homestand that begins on Thursday night (Jan. 31) at 8 p.m. against Lubbock Christian University inside the Gaulke Activity Center.  MACU bested LCU 65-63 earlier this season (Jan. 12) in Lubbock, Texas.