Cumberland women climb to No. 5

Cumberland moved up one spot to No. 5 in the eighth regular-season edition of the 2012-13 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday.

The No. 5 ranking is the highest in school history for the program.

The Lady Bulldogs have been ranked in the Top 10 in the Coaches’ Top 25 Poll since Dec. 4, the first regular season poll of the year. Cumberland was ranked seventh in that poll and moved up to No. 6 two weeks ago. CU has won 11 straight games overall and currently stands 24-1 overall, 15-1 in Mid-South Conference play heading into Thursday’s game at home against 14th-ranked Shawnee State.

The Bulldogs defeated the Bears, 63-58, on Nov.17 in CU’s first conference game of the season. The victory ended a 20-game home winning streak for Shawnee State.

Cumberland has just four regular season games remaining including Thursday’s contest. The Bulldogs will host Rio Grande on Saturday and the University of the Cumberlands on Feb. 25 and play at Bluefield on Feb. 23. The Mid-South Conference Championships are set for Feb. 28-March 3 at the Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky.