Lady Bison Picked Ninth in GAC Poll

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist is picked to finish ninth in the Great American Conference, according to the women's basketball preseason poll released Wednesday.
 
The Lady Bison received 49 points in the poll following a 9-19 season that included a 6-16 mark against GAC opponents and an 11^th place finish in the conference. OBU trails Henderson State by only five points for eighth place. This will mark the first season the Lady Bison are eligible to compete in the GAC Tournament that features the top eight teams at the end of the season.
 
Harding was picked to repeat as champions with 121 points and 11 first-place votes, the most possible in the poll. Southwestern Oklahoma State is second with 107 points, trailed by Arkansas Tech at 103 points. ATU received the remaining first-place vote. Southeastern Oklahoma State is picked fourth with 82 points.
 
Fifth through eighth place were separated by just 13 points, led by Ouachita Baptist with 67. East Central followed with 63, Southern Nazarene has 58 and Henderson State picked up 54 points in the preseason poll.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma State is expected to finish behind OBU in 10^th place with 34 points. Arkansas-Monticello received 33 and Southern Arkansas rounded out the poll with 21 points.
 
OBU will face Cameron in a home scrimmage on Oct. 24 and Wichita State in a road exhibition on Nov. 1 before opening up the season at the GAC/MIAA Conference Challenge on Nov. 10. The Lady Bison host Arkansas-Monticello at the Noble Complex on Nov. 16 in the home and conference opener.