AROUND THE AREA

Georgia College competing in "Play for Abe" on Saturday
    The release:

    "The Georgia College women’s and men’s basketball teams will host its “Play for Abe” game Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Centennial Center when the Bobcats take on Young Harris College.
    Abram Gainous, the son of Mark and Tasha Gainous, was diagnosed with leukemia in May of 2012 at the age of 2. Abe is now in remission but still makes visits to Egleston Hospital in Atlanta for treatments. Even through all the treatments, Abe is an energetic little boy that naturally loves playing with a basketball.
    Abe’s dad, Mark, is the assistant coach for the Georgia College men’s basketball team and Tasha is the women’s head basketball coach at a local high school, John Milledge Academy.
    Georgia College and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at John Milledge have partnered together for this event. All money from tickets sold through JMA will go directly to the Gainous family.
    The doubleheader against YHC will begin at 1:30 p.m.  Tickets are $6 and can be bought in advance at John Milledge Academy on Log Cabin Road or at the game. Children under the age of 12 are $3. GC students are free with their Bobcat ID and JMA students will also be free.
    The Saturday action will also feature another Zaxby’s Kids Zone, complete with a bounce house, coloring, games and much more.
    Come and support Abe Gainous Saturday, wearing the official leukemia color, orange. T-shirts, magnets and bracelets will be for sale at the entrance, with all proceeds going to the Gainous family fund.    

Georgia College is hosting Staff Council day on Saturday.
    The school's release:
    "The Georgia College basketball doubleheader set for Saturday, Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m. will now play host to Staff Council Day, honoring the faculty and staff at Georgia College.
    All Faculty/Staff and their families will get free admission when showing a GC ID Saturday as the Bobcats take on Young Harris College. All Georgia College employees will also receive a voucher for free popcorn at the front door.
    Saturday is already a jam-packed day full of fun at the Centennial Center, as the Bobcats take on the newest member of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) in Young Harris.
    The Saturday action will also feature another Zaxby’s Kids Zone, complete with a bounce house, coloring, games and much more. The day will also feature two more halftime performances for GC’s Got Talent, as music composition major Daniel Hearn will play the piano, and Jeff Crain will partner up for an amazing swing-style dance.
    Saturday is also Play for Abe Day, as half of all tickets sold through John Milledge Academy will go to the family of Abram Gainous, the son of Bobcat men’s basketball assistant coach Mark Gainous, as Abe continues his costly battle with Childhood Leukemia.

POLL WATCHING
    Notable - state, A-Sun, mid-majors, regional - RPIs entering Thursday'splay, courtesy of CBS Sports (formerly College RPI. Note that most RPIS count only Division I games in records.

Rk.    School        W    L    RPI    SOS Rank    SOS

1    Duke           16    2    0.7036        2    0.6351
9    Gonzaga       16    2    0.6615        12    0.5875
12    Butler          15    3    0.6492        18    0.5793
18    Belmont       13    4    0.6274        40    0.5671
27    VCU             16    3    0.6161        62    0.5533
31    San Diego St 13    4    0.6080        44    0.5597
36    Middle Tenn   16    4    0.6027        100    0.5272
47    Bucknell        15    4    0.5865        133    0.5073
48    Charlotte      16    3    0.5841        152    0.5004
49    Alabama       11    6    0.5827        22    0.5769

75    Florida State    10    7    0.5606        34    0.5677
94    Dayton            10    7    0.5448        60    0.5528
97    Utah State       13    3    0.5441        285    0.4559
98    UCF                11    5    0.5429        120    0.5155
108    Ill-Chic          10    8    0.5348        115    0.5186
110    Denver          11    7    0.5333        132    0.5084
115    George Mason 11    7    0.5272        134    0.5071
116    Fla Gulf Coast 11    8    0.5267        158    0.4967
119    Georgia Tech  10    6    0.5253        117    0.5177
119    Savannah St    8    9    0.5253        91    0.5314

122    Davidson       10    7    0.5248        165    0.4953
132    Wake Forest    9    8    0.5209        84    0.5352
133    Clemson        10    7    0.5205        127    0.5121
142    Coll. Chrlston  12    6    0.5156        227    0.4746
161    Mercer            10    8    0.5072        229    0.4745
162    UAB                7    10    0.5055        74    0.5418
163    Jacksonville St.10    7    0.5047        259    0.4660
164    LSU                9    6    0.5046        177    0.4915
183    Georgia           7    10    0.4890        58    0.5534
202    Auburn            8    9    0.4779        147    0.5021
       
217    North Florida    7    12    0.4689        183    0.4894
222    Stetson           8    10    0.4658        258    0.4661
224    Lipscomb        6    11    0.4642        201    0.4856
231    USC Upstate    7    10    0.4611        291    0.4502
233    South Carolina11    6    0.4610        325    0.4285
236    Campbell        7    9    0.4592        279    0.4594
238    Georgia State  8    11    0.4571        227    0.4746
242    Mississippi St   7    9    0.4543        238    0.4734
245    Jacksonville    8    10    0.4512        307    0.4397

248    Wofford           6    12    0.4485        271    0.4608
256    Georgia Sou    6    11    0.4450        252    0.4689
259    Chattanooga    6    11    0.4430        211    0.4808
281    Samford        6    12    0.4274        290    0.4536
284    Coastal Carol 5    8    0.4239        303    0.4411
284    Troy              7    12    0.4239        287    0.4541
305    No. Kentucky 4    11    0.4062        324    0.4289
323    Old Dominion 2    16    0.3879        183    0.4894
326    Furman        3    12    0.3865        294   
336    Kennesaw St.2    17    0.3691        284    0.4563

342    NC-G'boro    2    13    0.3583        298    0.4469
343    New Orleans 3    12    0.3572        332    0.4255
344    Hampton     5    12    0.3559        347    0.3878
345    Liberty        2    14    0.3542        330    0.4260
346    Presbyterian 1    15    0.3424        304    0.4409
347    Grambling    0    16    0.3239        319    0.4318

And the latest CollegeInsider.com polls.
    Nobody from the A-Sun or state is getting any men's votes, while FGCU and Stetson are doing that on the women's side, with FGCU 12th and Stetson 28th.
    And FGCU hosts Stetson on Saturday.
    Belmont is up to 5 here, and now ranked. The OVC was just a help for travel.
   
Men
1.     Gonzaga (27)         17-2     771     2     West Coast
2.     Wichita State (2)     17-2     740     5     Missouri Valley
3.     Bucknell (1)            16-3     699     3     Patriot
4.     Creighton (1)         17-2     692     1     Missouri Valley
5.     Belmont               15-4     631     8     Ohio Valley
6.     Saint Mary's         15-4     619     7     West Coast
7.     BYU                    15-5     572     6     West Coast
8.     Lehigh                 12-4     504     9     Patriot
9.     Middle Tennessee 16-4     498     12     Sun Belt
10.     Stephen F. Austin16-1     453     15     Southland
11.     Murray State        14-4     451     11     Ohio Valley
12.     Utah State           14-3     408     4     WAC
13.     Akron                13-4     396     13     Mid-American
14.     Valparaiso          15-5     374     14     Horizon
15.     North Dakota St   16-4     341     10     Summit
16.     Ohio                 13-5     305     16     Mid-American
17.     Bryant               13-4     245     21     Northeast
18.     Eastern Kentucky 15-4     235     17     Ohio Valley
19.     South Dakota St  15-6     218     19     Summit
20.     Western Illinois     15-4     196     18     Summit
21.     Louisiana Tech     16-3     146     22     WAC
22.     Weber State         13-3     109     24     Big Sky
23.     Montana             12-4     102     25     Big Sky
24.     Davidson            11-7     79     20     Southern
25.     Albany              16-4     68     NR     America East


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Indiana State 47, Wright State 32, Santa Clara 30, Vermont 18, Stony Brook 16, Niagara 11, Northeastern 11, Columbia 8, Detroit 8, Harvard 8, New Mexico State 7, Southern 7, Evansville 5, Oral Roberts 5, Denver 4, Long Beach State 4, Northern Iowa 2, North Carolina Central 1.

Women
1.     Delaware (24)     13-3     767     1     Colonial
2.     Green Bay (2)         14-2     699     4     Horizon
3.     Gonzaga (3)         15-5     691     2     West Coast
4.     Toledo         15-2     677     3     Mid-American
5.     Chattanooga (1)     14-3     621     5     Southern
6.     Creighton (1)         13-4     595     6     Missouri Valley
7.     Middle Tennessee     13-5     538     8     Sun Belt
8.     Princeton         10-5     536     9     Ivy
9.     Boston University     16-3     522     7     America East
10.     Quinnipiac         15-2     408     12     Northeast
11.     BYU             12-5     401     13     West Coast
12.     Florida Gulf Coast     15-5     393     11     Atlantic Sun
13.     Marist             11-6     383     14     Metro Atlantic
14.     Bowling Green     12-5     373     10     Mid-American
15.     Hampton         14-5     321     15     MEAC
16.     Albany             14-3     271     19     America East
17.     Pacific         14-3     250     16     Big West
18.     South Dakota State     14-6     235     17     Summit
19.     Western Kentucky     15-3     200     21     Sun Belt
20.     UALR             11-7     156     18     Sun Belt
21.     Missouri State     9-8     147     20     Missouri Valley
22.     Harvard         10-5     126     23     Ivy
23.     Hartford         12-7     116     22     America East
24.     Appalachian State     12-3     102     24     Southern
25.     San Diego         11-7     99     25     West Coast


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:  Saint Mary's 82, Central Michigan 65, Stetson 57, Drexel 51, Youngstown State 40, Illinois State 33, Old Dominion 27, James Madison 24, Liberty 15, Akron 12, Hofstra 12, Campbell 11, Idaho State 10, Cal State Northridge 3, Army 2, Presbyterian 2, Iona 1, Wichita State 1.


The National Junior College Athletic Association polls:
Men
1     Hutchinson Community College     19-0     400     16         1
2     Vincennes University             19-0     378     0     3
3     Spartanburg Methodist College     18-0     361     0     5
4     Northwest Florida State College     18-1     337     0     6
5     Palm Beach State College         20-1     327     0     2
6     Iowa Western Community College     20-1     310     0     3
7     Coffeyville Community College     17-1     304     0     9
8     Indian Hills Comm Coll-Ottumwa     19-2     282     0     10
9     Chattahoochee Technical College     19-1     271     0     11
10     New Mexico Junior College         17-2     248     0     12
11     Salt Lake Community College     18-2     236     0     15
12     Chipola College             20-2     235     0     7
13     North Idaho College             19-3     183     0     14
14     Hagerstown Community College     18-2     173     0     16
15     Kilgore College             17-2     163     0     17
16     Howard College             16-3     148     0     8
17     College of Central Florida         20-2     121     0     21
18     East Georgia State College         17-1     114     0     23
19     Barton Community College         16-3     94     0     13
20     Central Arizona College         17-3     82     0     24
21     Connors State College         15-3     69     0     18
22     Middle Georgia College         13-3     56     0     20
23     Mineral Area College             17-3     53     0     25
24     South Plains College             14-4     47     0     19
25     Pearl River Community Coll         13-1     41     0     RV

Women
1     Hutchinson Community College     19-0     200     8     1
2     North Idaho College             21-1     193     0     2
3     Trinity Valley Community College     18-1     184     0     3
4     Central Arizona College         18-1     173     0     4
5     Northwest Florida State College     18-1     161     0     7
6     Shelton State Community College     18-0     150     0     6
7     Walters State Community College     16-1     144     0     8
8     Chipola College             18-2     137     0     9
9     Gulf Coast State College         18-2     129     0     5
10     Blinn College                 19-1     119     0     11
11     Collin County Community College     17-1     115     0     12
12     Garden City Community College     18-2     100     0     10
13     Mineral Area College             17-2     98     0     13
14     Iowa Western Community College     19-2     88     0     14
15     Darton State College             19-2     83     0     15
16     Salt Lake Community College     13-6     76     0     18
17     Sheridan College             16-4     59     0     20
18     Gillette College             18-3     47     0     21
19     New Mexico Junior College         14-2     40     0     NR
20     Tallahassee Community College     12-6     38     0     19
21     South Plains College             16-3     33     0     16
22     Northern Oklahoma College-Enid     14-5     26     0     22
23     Wabash Valley College         10-5     15     0     RV
24     Cochise College             17-3     11     0     RV
25     Harford Community College         18-1     9     0     25

    Central Georgia Tech's women are 29th, Georgia Highlands 33rd.   

    Finally, a peek at the relevant Sagarin Rating Conference RPIs
 20  IVY LEAGUE             69.00      69.59  ( 19)      8      69.47  ( 19)
  21  AMERICA EAST         68.53      68.59  ( 23)      9      68.59  ( 23)
  22  OHIO VALLEY       =  68.43      68.87  ( 21)     12      68.63  ( 22)
  23  SUMMIT LEAGUE   =  68.41      68.86  ( 22)      9      68.69  ( 21)
  24  NORTHEAST        =  67.47      67.45  ( 24)     12      67.47  ( 24)
  25  SOUTHLAND        =  66.70      67.40  ( 25)     10      67.12  ( 25)
  26  ATLANTIC SUN     =  66.65      66.67  ( 26)     10      66.69  ( 26)
  27  BIG SOUTH          =  66.37      65.77  ( 29)     12      65.96  ( 28)
  28  SOUTHERN         =  65.71      66.08  ( 28)     12      66.02  ( 27)
  29  BIG SKY                 65.34      66.11  ( 27)     11      65.90  ( 29)
  30  MID-EASTERN    =  64.56      64.52  ( 30)     13      64.51  ( 30)
  31  GREAT WEST     =  62.78      62.29  ( 31)      5      62.33  ( 31)
  32  SOUTHWESTERN 60.72      61.03  ( 32)     10      61.00  ( 32)