From JBU Sports Information
The John Brown University men's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the Sooner Athletic Conference, per the release of the 2018-19 SAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll by the league office on Thursday afternoon.
2018-19 SAC Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll
Institution (First Place Votes)^Points
1. Oklahoma City (5)^107
2. Texas Wesleyan (4)^106
3. Southwestern Assemblies of God (2)^102
4. Wayland Baptist^94
5. Science and Arts (1)^80
6. Langston^70
7. Mid-America Christian^68
8. John Brown^56
9. Southwestern Christian^54
10. Central Christian^31
11. Oklahoma Panhandle State^24
12. Bacone^11
The Golden Eagles finished just two points ahead of Southwestern Christian (Okla.) and were shy of Mid-America Christian (Okla.) by 12 points. JBU will be looking to escape the SAC tournament quarterfinals this season, something it has been unable to do for the prior four seasons.
John Brown completed the 2017-18 campaign with a 16-14 record and a 10-10 mark in conference play. The Golden Eagles return SAC first-team and NAIA All-America honorable mention selection senior Jake Caudle, who averaged 18.6 points per game and shot 50.8 percent from the floor. Despite some roster turnover, the Blue and Gold return their eight top scorers, including seniors Josh Bowling, Marquis Waller and Benjamin Smith alongside junior Brenton Toussaint, and sophomores Rokas Grabliauskas and Nathan Corder.
Oklahoma City narrowly edged out Texas Wesleyan by a single point for the top spot in the poll. OCU and Texas Wesleyan both finished 14-6 in conference play to split the SAC regular-season title a year ago.
Five conference teams -- plus new member Langston (Okla.) -- qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championships last year: Oklahoma City, Science and Arts (Okla.), Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas), Texas Wesleyan and Wayland Baptist (Texas). SAGU claimed the SAC tournament title over Wayland Baptist, 90-81.
Oklahoma City earned 107 total points along with five first-place votes, while Texas Wesleyan had 106 points and four first-place votes. SAGU earned two first-place votes, while USAO had the remaining one.
SAGU was picked to finish third with 102 points, while Wayland Baptist was picked fourth with 94 points. USAO was fifth with 80, and Langston was sixth with 70.
Central Christian (Kan.) followed in ninth with 31 points as Oklahoma Panhandle State (24 points) and Bacone (Okla.) (11 points) rounded out the poll.
The SAC tournament begins with quarterfinals on Feb. 26, 2019, on campus sites followed by the semifinals and championship on March 1-2 inside Abe Lemons Arena at Oklahoma City. The regular season champion and the conference tournament champion each advance into the NAIA National Championships, set for March 20-26 at the historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Sports on 10/14/2018