Oklahoma City – Coming off winning both the Sooner Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships, Langston University will enter the season as the top team in the 2024-25 SAC Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Lions received 144 points as they were the NAIA National Runners-Up last season. Langston also garnered all but one first-place vote as they finished last season with an overall record of 35-2 before falling in the National Championship game to Freed-Hardeman 71-67.
Nelson earned the second slot in the preseason poll with 126 points after finishing last season with an overall record of 22-10. The Lions fell in the conference semifinals to John Brown 85-80 before dropping a 74-71 contest to Baker in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament.
Mid-America Christian grabbed the third slot in the poll with 121 points after they wrapped up the 2023-24 campaign with an overall record of 24-9. The Evangels fell in the SAC Championship game to Langston 55-44 and then won their first-round contest in the national tournament by defeating Hastings 68-67 before falling to Oklahoma Wesleyan 76-58 in the second round.
Rounding out the top four on the preseason list will be Wayland Baptist as the Pioneers earned 117 points and also received a first-place vote. Wayland completed last season with an overall record of 21-10 before falling to Langston 84-67 in the conference semifinals. The Pioneers advanced to the national tournament and dropped a 75-67 contest to Montana Tech in the opening round.
Here is the complete 2024 SAC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll.
- Langston 144 (12)
- Nelson 126
- Mid-America Christian 121
- Wayland Baptist 117 (1)
- John Brown 98
- Texas Wesleyan 80
- Oklahoma City 69
- Science & Arts 62
- Central Christian 58
- North Texas-Dallas 55
- Panhandle State 33
- Southwestern Christian 26
- College of the Ozarks 25