RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – SWOSU Men's Basketball has been picked to finish tenth in the Great American Conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
The Bulldogs sit in tenth with 40 points in the poll. Oklahoma Baptist sits atop the poll with 116 points and six first place votes with Southern Arkansas right behind them on 115 points and six first places as well.
 
There is plenty of reason to believe this team is more than capable of overachieving their preseason projection. A good mix of returning talent and fresh faces is cause for excitement around Head Coach Terry Evans' team.
 
Some notable returners for the Bulldogs this year are Junior guards Damion Thornton and Chris Braggs Jr.  Thornton, from the moment he stepped foot on campus, has helped propel the Bulldogs in the right direction.  Averaging 17 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game last season, Thornton led the team in both categories. 
 
Braggs, the workhorse of the team, will continue to play a vital role for the Bulldogs this year.  As a solid defender, Coach Evans will look to Braggs to be the defensive mind on the court and to score inside when he has the mismatch.  The team also brings back guards Kamden Gibson and Khobe Austin-Johnson. Gibson and Austin-Johnson will most likely share the load at the point guard position. 
 
The team had no problem scoring the ball last year, but struggled on the glass as most opponents out rebounded the Dawgs. To assist in that category this year, Coach Evans has brought some height to the program with newcomers Ben Smith, Mark Berry, and Deangelo Adkins as well as Abraham "Abe" Aghasedo and Jamaal Smith down in the paint. With more height and added athleticism, the Dawgs have the potential to be one of the GAC's highest scoring offenses and will no doubt be exciting to watch all season.
 
The Bulldogs will start their season competing in the GAC/MIAA Challenge. Their first game will come against Emporia State on Saturday, November 13 at 7:30 pm in Hays, Kansas.
 
2021-22 GAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll

#	Team	Points (1st Place Votes)
1	Oklahoma Baptist	116 (6)
2	Southern Arkansas	115 (6)
3	Southern Nazarene	92
4	Southeastern Okla.	90
5	Henderson State	87
6	Arkansas Tech	72
7	East Central	58
8	Ouachita Baptist	44
T9	Harding	41
T9	SWOSU	40
11	Northwestern Okla.	22
12	Arkansas-Monticello	15