/// Bison Picked Third in SAC

SHAWNEE—Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) is picked to finish third in the Sooner Athletic Conference men’s basketball standings, according to the vote of the league coaches, released Oct. 20.

OBU was 19-16 last season and finished eighth in the regular season standings.

Despite last season’s rough overall year, the Bison won the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament and extended its string of consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearances to 14.

OBU received one first-place vote in this year’s poll and accumulated 75 points. St. Gregory’s is the preseason favorite with five first-place votes and 91 points and Wayland Baptist is ranked second with two top votes and 77 points.

Oklahoma City got one first-place vote and is fourth with 73 points. Southwestern Assemblies of God, with one first-place vote, is tied with Mid-America Christian for the fifth spot.

Texas Wesleyan is seventh with 49 points, followed by John Brown at 46, USAO at 30 and Southwestern Christian with 22.

The Bison tip off the season at 7 p.m., Nov. 3, at home against Tabor (Kan.).

/// Lady Bison picked second in SAC Preseason Poll

SHAWNEE—The Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) women’s basketball team is picked to finish runner-up in the Sooner Athletic Conference for the 2014-15 season, according to the preseason coaches’ poll released Oct. 20.

Defending NAIA National Champion Oklahoma City University is the favorite to win the conference after receiving nine-of-10 first place votes in the poll for the maximum 90 points. OBU was picked second with 78 points, edging out third-place John Brown (76 points) for the runner-up spot.

Wayland Baptist was fourth with 68 points, followed by Mid-America Christian with 57 and Texas Wesleyan with 49 points. Southwest Assemblies of God University was picked seventh with 44 points, ahead of Southwestern Christian (32 points), Science and Arts (25) and St. Gregory’s (22).

The Lady Bison finished second in the conference regular season in 2014. OBU won the SAC Tournament for the first time in program history, returning to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2010.

OBU will compete in a double round-robin SAC schedule, playing a home and away game against each of the nine other teams. The Lady Bison will start the season on Nov. 7 with a non-conference home game against Tabor (Kan.).