SHAWNEE – The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team debuted at No. 4 in the 2021-22 D2SIDA Men's Basketball Division II Preseason Central Region top-10, two spots up from last year's No. 6 preseason mark. The Bison garnered 37 points to lock in their four spot, ahead of GAC affiliates Southern Arkansas and Southern Nazarene. OBU is also receiving six votes in the National D2SIDA Preseason Poll for the first time in school history.
The Bison have been in the thoughts of many this preseason. Last week, news broke that the Bison received 45 votes in the 2021-22 NABC Division II Coaches Poll. OBU was also picked as the favorite to win the league in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, racking up six first-place votes.
Three of OBU's non-conference opponents, West Texas-A&M (3), Washburn (11), and Minnesota State University-Moorhead (25), ranked in the national top-25. As for the Central Region Ranking, Washburn (2), MSU Moorhead (3), and Southern Arkansas (6) were named alongside the Bison. Southern Nazarene rounded up OBU's opponents mentioned in the region, as the Crimson Storm tallied five votes.
Much attention will be paid to the program over the coming weeks as OBU will face Minnesota State-Moorhead (Nov. 13), Washburn (Nov. 23), and West Texas A&M (Nov. 26). There is a chance the Bison could creep their way into the top-25 rankings with wins over these opponents.
The first official rankings of the 2021-22 D2SIDA Men's Basketball Division II Media Poll will be released on November 15-16, 2021.
