Butler men break into national rankings at No. 11

The Butler men are in the national rankings for the first time since the 2010 season, checking in at No. 11 in the first regular-season poll of the season.

The Grizzlies have 173 points in the poll, just three behind No. 10 Southwest Tennessee and four points behind No. 9 Gillette (Wyo.).

"I am proud of what this group has got done so far, but hope we are not satisfied," coach Mike Bargen said. "There is a lot of season left to play and we want to keep playing at a high level."

This is the highest Butler has been ranked since they were 15th in the final poll of the 2009-10 season. The Grizzlies finished that season at 27-6, winning the Jayhawk West and Region VI titles while qualifying for the national tournament. That was also the last time Butler has been nationally ranked.

Butler has started this season at 10-0, although the rankings were compiled before Butler's 99-46 win over Friends JV on Monday night.

The Grizzlies are the highest-ranked Kansas team. Cloud County is No. 13 at 10-0, Hutchinson is No. 15 at 9-1 and Coffeyville is No. 16 at 9-1.

Butler puts its undefeated record on the line on Wednesday when the Grizzlies travel to Neosho County. The Panthers gave Butler its stiffest test of the season so far as the Grizzlies needed two free throws with .6 seconds left in the game to get a 66-64 win in the Power Plant on Nov. 11.

http://www.butlergrizzlies.com/sports/mbkb/2014-15/releases/20141202j8kkme