Jan. 16, 2008

By Amy Farnum Novin

Special to CSTV.com from NCAA.com

	Amy Farnum Novin Amy Farnum Novin covers Division II sports for CSTV.com. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- FOOTBALL 12/14: Playing Big 11/13: Nebraska-Omaha Rolls Into Postseason 11/6: Golden Ticket For Tuskegee 10/30: West Chester Keeps On Rolling 10/23: Getting Defensive 10/16: Running Away With Awards 10/9: Running Wild 10/2: Grand Valley State Keeps On Rolling 9/25: Full Speed Ahead 9/12: Records Go Down Across DII BASEBALL 5/23: Keller Has Overcome VOLLEYBALL 10/16: Rocking, Rolling And Killing 10/31: Lewis Flying High SOCCER 11/6: Seattle Pacific Close To Perfection M. BASKETBALL 1/16: Robbins Reaches 700 Plateau 1/9: Perfect Lakers 1/2: Playing Gorilla Ball 11/27: Cain Starts Block Party For South Dakota W. BASKETBALL 1/16: Running With The Wolves 1/9: North Georgia Vaults Into Polls 1/2: Falcons Soar In Rankings 11/27: Anchorage Better Than D-I

BIG WIN:  Virginia Union University head coach Dave Robbins became the fifth coach in Division II men's basketball to reach 700 career wins after guiding the Panthers to a 100-73 victory over Saint Paul's College on Jan. 12.

Robbins, who is in his 30th season at Virginia Union, is the 26th coach in NCAA basketball history (all divisions) to achieve the 700-win feat.  He was recognized by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as Coach of the Week for his accomplishment.

During his tenure, Robbins has had some key victories among the 700, including three NCAA titles in 1980, 1992 and 2005.

A HELPING HAND:  Senior point guard Luke Cooper's ability to share the basketball has been especially beneficial to No. 14 Alaska-Anchorage this season. 

Cooper tied his own Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-game record with 16 assists as the Seawolves topped Alaska Fairbanks, 77-57, to win their 10th straight game on Jan. 12.  The native of Melbourne, Australia, added three rebounds and two points, while increasing his Division II-leading assists average to 8.9 per game. 

The GNAC named Cooper Co-Player of the Week for his performance.  Cooper, who already owns the UAA and GNAC career records for assists with 704, is a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award as the top point guard in college basketball.

RUNNING WILD:  Abilene Christian did not disappoint poll voters after receiving its' first national ranking since 1999 this week.  Instead, the No. 21 Wildcats proved they belonged among the top teams in the nation with a 112-102 victory over Texas-Permian Basin on Jan. 15, while extending their winning streak to nine games.

The Wildcats, who rank sixth in the nation in scoring offense, posted their sixth 100-point game of the season, and third in the last four contests.  ACU also entered the week as the Division II leader in field goal percentage at a 53.8 clip.

"POST"-ING UP:  C.W. Post slipped into the latest NABC Division II poll at No. 25 following a pair of victories last week, including a 75-56 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. It is the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Pioneers have been nationally ranked.

The Pioneers are riding a five-game winning streak and are the only undefeated squad in East Coast Conference play at 7-0. 

Junior guard Jonathan Schmidt from Centereach, N.Y., paces the Pioneers with 18.7 points per game, and collected his 1,000^th career point during a 75-69 victory over Goldey-Beacom last week.

NOTABLE:  University of Findlay head coach Ron Niekamp will be looking for his 500th career victory when the No. 15 Oilers take on Central State University on Jan. 16 ... USC-Aiken's Jeremy Fears has only started in the Pacers last three games, but the junior guard from Chicago, Ill, is enjoying a stellar scoring stretch.  Fears has posted double-figures in nine consecutive games, averaging 20.6 points during that span.  Last week, he averaged 23.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in wins over Francis Marion and Georgia Southwestern, earning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week honors for the first time.