RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Oklahoma Baptist, last year's Great American Conference regular-season champion, was picked to finish in second place as league officials released the results of its preseason coaches' poll on Thursday.
The Bison earned 110 votes overall including five 1st-place votes. Ouachita Baptist was voted as the preseason favorite after it garnered 115 votes and seven 1st-place nods.
Harding rounded out the top three of the poll with 101 votes.
A season ago, OBU had a year to remember. They were ranked as high as No. 6 by the NABC, won 18 consecutive games at one point, earned a 20-2 GAC regular season mark and ended up in the NCAA Tournament Final Four.
The 2026-27 season starts in nine days for the Bison who will travel to Lakeland, Fla., to take part in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
2026-27 GAC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll
1. Ouachita Baptist - 115 (7)
2.
Oklahoma Baptist - 110 (5)
3
. Harding – 101
4. Southern Nazarene – 86
5. Henderson State - 78
6. East Central - 73
7. Southeastern Oklahoma State - 59
8. Arkansas Tech - 46
t9. Southwestern Oklahoma State – 45
t9. Southern Arkansas - 45
11. Northwestern Oklahoma State - 19
12. Arkansas-Monticello – 13
