Westminster basketball: Griffins tied for 13th in preseason poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Westminster College men’s basketball team is ranked No. 13 in the 2012 - 13 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, the NAIA announced Tuesday. Westminster received 139 points in the poll to sit in a tie for the 13th position with Biola (Calif.).

Westminster has now been ranked in 87 polls all-time and returns to the preseason poll for the first time since starting the 2010-11 season at No. 12. This marks the fourth time the team has been No. 13 or better in the preseason poll in the past six years.

The Griffins return 10 players from the 2011-12 squad that finished 21-11 overall and 8-6 in the Frontier Conference. Among that group is 2012 NAIA honorable mention All-American Jake Orchard. The senior forward averaged 15.2 points per game last season and needs just 60 points to become the ninth Griffin to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Westminster opens the season Friday when it travels to Las Vegas, N.M., for a 7 p.m. game against New Mexico Highlands. The home opener is slated for 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, against Fort Lewis (Colo.).