FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- After opening the 2021 season with a pair of convincing victories over West Virginia Wesleyan (110-85) and Davis & Elkins (87-70), the Fairmont State men's basketball team jumped two spots in the NABC/Division II men's basketball poll that was announced on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Falcons are currently preparing for a top-25 Mountain East Conference showdown against fourth-ranked West Liberty on Wednesday evening inside Joe Retton Arena. The Hilltoppers moved up four spots in this week's top 25 ranking after blowout wins over Notre Dame College (98-77) and Alderson Broaddus (123-73) to open the 2021 season.

In addition to moving up two spots in the NABC national poll, the Falcons also earned their first national ranking of the season in the D2SIDA National Media Poll that was released on Tuesday evening. After receiving votes in the D2SIDA Preseason Top 25, Fairmont State moved up to No. 18 after its 2-0 start to the 2021 season. WLU also made an appearance in this week's D2SIDA national poll, checking in at No. 7. | View D2SIDA Rankings
 
This week's NABC national rankings saw major movement throughout the top 25 after a majority of the country returned to the court early in January.
 
For the second time in school history, Colorado School of Mines has reached the top of the national rankings as the Orediggers – thanks to losses suffered last week by teams listed throughout the top of last week's poll – hold the No. 1 spot in this week's NABC/Division II national rankings.
 
The major shifts at the top end of the poll came as the result of something that had not happened in 15 seasons – a week where the top three teams all suffered losses.  The last time the top three teams lost in the same week came following the Jan. 24, 2006 ranking, when Montevallo, Western Washington and Saint Joseph's were all handed losses.
 
Over the past 30 seasons, this is the fifth time that the top three teams have lost games in the same week.  Besides the 2006 occasion, the top three all suffered losses since 1990 following the rankings of Feb. 18, 2003, Feb. 8, 1999 and Jan. 6, 1992 along with this past week.
 
Colorado School of Mines was, in fact, the only team in the top six that came away from last week unscathed and its only results was an overtime win at Black Hills State.  The Orediggers' previous appearance at No. 1 came in the final poll of the 2011-12 season.
 
Northern State, who is off to a 4-0 start since the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference began play, has also reached its highest point in the rankings at No. 2, while Northwest Missouri State – who did receive three first place votes despite its loss last Thursday to then-No. 5 Washburn – is ranked third.
 
After Washburn won the game at Northwest in overtime last Thursday, the Ichabods lost for the first time this season two days later at Missouri Western; the Griffons moved up six spots to No. 16 this week.
 
A total of nine conferences have multiple teams in the rankings again this week.  The Lone Star Conference has four representatives in No. 7 West Texas A&M, No. 13 St. Edward's, No. 20 Dallas Baptist and No. 22 Lubbock Christian.