For apparently the first time since 1972, NIU’s men’s basketball team has received recognition in the AP Top-25 poll.

The 13-2 Huskies earned five votes in the “others receiving votes” category. The five votes place NIU at the 41st spot in the weekly poll.

The 1971-72 version of the Huskies climbed as high as No. 20 in the AP rankings on their way to a 21-4 record. The current squad is also rated No. 33 by USA Today and 59th in The National.

Also making their mark this season are Huskies’ standouts Donnell “D-Train” Thomas and Donald Whiteside.

Thomas made history Tuesday by becoming the school’s first Mid-Continent Conference Player of the week.

Thomas averaged 20 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in three games last week. The highlight was his 20-point, 17-rebound performance Jan. 15 in NIU’s 70-61 triumph over DePaul at Chick Evans Field House.

Thomas recently passed Tim Dillon for the No. 3 spot on NIU’s all-time scoring ledger. With 1,586 points, the 6-4 standout also ranks third in the M-C Conference in scoring and rebounding and is on his way to becoming the first player in NIU history to lead the Huskies in rebounding for four consecutive seasons.

The 5-10 Whiteside has climbed his way to the 20th spot on NIU’s all-time scoring list and leads the M-C Conference with his 87 percent free-throw shooting.

The Huskies guard entered the week ranked No. 1 in NCAA free throw percentage and number three in three-point shooting percentage.

Although the Huskies have the best overall record of any M-C Conference team, NIU is tied for second with Wisconsin-Green Bay, both with 4-1 loop marks. Surprisingly, Cleveland State, which boasts only a 9-8 overall record, leads the conference with a 5-1 mark.

NIU still has 11 conference games left, including a home and away series with Cleveland State and a return match against the only conference team to beat NIU, Wisconsin-Green Bay, at Green Bay.

The Mid-Continent postseason tournament, with its accompanying automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the champion, takes place at Green Bay in early March.