The Kirkwood men's basketball team jumped to No. 2 in the national rankings this week, but the Eagles had to fight like heck Wednesday night to stay there.

Josh Meier hit six straight free throws in the final 2 1/2 minutes and blocked a big shot as Kirkwood pulled away from John Wood, 69-61, in a non-conference game at Johnson Hall.

The Eagles, sporting a flashy 9-1 record, climbed four spots in the NJCAA Division II poll this week, but John Wood did not seem too impressed with Kirkwood's lofty spot in the poll.

The game was tied, 60-60, with three minutes left before Meier and the Eagles pulled it out.

Meier, a 6-foot-7 transfer from Chicago State, made two free throws with 2:32 left to snap the 60-60 tie and give Kirkwood a 62-60 edge. He then blocked a shot, got fouled again and cashed two more charity shots for a 64-60 edge with 1:57 left.

John Wood missed a shot, Kirkwood got the rebound and Meier hit two more free throws with 1:17 remaining to give the Eagles a little breathing room at 66-60.

"I love moments like that," said Meier. "Every time I shoot free throws and stuff, I just picture myself being at a park like a little kid again. That's the way I've always played basketball.

"I count it down at the park: 3-2-1 and shoot it."

Meier finished with 12 points, with the six big free throws at the end with the game hanging in doubt.

"He was huge," said Kirkwood Coach Bryan Petersen. "He came up with a big block, and then he made free throws down the stretch. We ran some plays for him and he got fouled and went to the line and knocked them in.

"He always works hard, he always plays hard. It's nice that he came through for us at the end."

Meier started 18 games at Chicago State last year as a freshman and averaged 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds for the NCAA Division I school, but elected to leave Chicago State after the season.

"I'm from Chicago and I just wanted to get away from there and find something new," he explained. "I actually love it here. It's a change of pace. People are really nice. It's like a second home to me now. I really love it."

Meier has only one year of eligibility at Kirkwood. He has a Division I offer from Wright State for next season and hopes to get other offers as the season moves along.

A former Kirkwood player who lives in Chicago told the Kirkwood coaches that Meier was looking for a change of scenery. That's all the Eagles needed to hear.

"We jumped all over it," said Petersen. "Hopped in the car, went over there and worked him out and got him to campus. We thought it was a good fit for both us and him."

John Wood Community College played in the championship game of the NJCAA Division II national tournament last year and was ranked when the 2015-16 season began, but the Blazers arrived in Cedar Rapids Wednesday night with a 1-9 record against stiff competition. Nonetheless, the Blazers did not seem impressed with Kirkwood's new No. 2 ranking and gave the Eagles a tough match.

"Their record is not the greatest right now, but they've played a really tough schedule and they've got a great coach and a great program," said Petersen. "There's a reason they played in the national championship game last year."

Petersen does not know if his club is truly the No. 2 team in the nation, but he welcomes the ranking and the attention it brings.

"It's cool," he said. "I don't know if those rankings are completely accurate, but for these kids it's cool. It's good for them, because they've put a lot of work in. And it's good for our overall program.

"I'm hoping that it gets people to know about us a little bit more and they'll come out and watch us play."

Meier described the No. 2 national ranking as "kind of surreal."

"It is pretty cool," he remarked. "It gives you butterflies a little bit. You don't try to think about it too much, but we know we're going to have a target on our backs now when we play."

Schoolcraft (Mich.) is ranked No. 1 in the nation this week.

Deantae Woods hit three free throws for Kirkwood in the final 10.5 seconds Wednesday night to help seal the victory. Woods came off the bench and led the Eagles with 16 points.

Danilo Ranger led John Wood with 17 points.

JOHN WOOD (61): McKenzie 0 3-6 3, Elbe 1 0-0 2, Howard 5 4-5 14, Plummer 2 0-2 5, Ranger 7 0-0 17, Smith 1 0-0 3, Bennett 0 0-0 0, Soukup 2 4-4 9, Richmiller 2 4-4 8, Okonkwo 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 15-21 61.

KIRKWOOD (69): Bartlett 2 0-0 6, Rhodes 1 3-4 5, Richards 3 1-2 7, Olson 2 3-4 8, Meier 3 6-7 12, Woods 4 7-8 16, Harp 1 0-0 2, Fagan 1 1-2 3, Wilson 1 0-0 2, Bonds 2 0-0 4, Triplett 2 0-1 4. Totals 22 21-28 69.

Halftime - Kirkwood 36, John Wood 32. 3-point goals - John Wood 6 (Ranger 3, Plummer 1, Smith 1, Soukup 1), Kirkwood 4 (Bartlett 2, Olson 1, Woods 1).