ASHLAND – Months removed from a stunning run to the NAIA quarterfinals, expectations are elevated for the Southern Oregon men's basketball team in 2025-26.

The Raiders, with several key pieces from last year's team still around, were picked second in Wednesday's Cascade Conference preseason poll and received two first-place votes, landing only behind defending national champion College of Idaho. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), Oregon Tech and Eastern Oregon rounded out the top five.

In senior guard Elijah Jackson and junior forward Bryce Dyer, SOU is the only team that brought back multiple All-CCC performers. Jackson and Dyer are among 11 returners on fourth-year coach Matt Zosel's roster, and he added six newcomers.

Last year's Raiders went 23-11 overall and finished fourth in the CCC at 14-8 before heating up as a No. 11 seed in the national tournament, where they upset three conference champions in a row.

College of Idaho has won five consecutive full-season CCC titles and two of the last three national titles. The Yotes lost four starters but reloaded around All-America point guard Samaje Morgan.

SOU starts the season Oct. 24 at Oregon Tech in a non-conference matchup. A complete season preview will be published next week.
 
The Raiders are likely to appear in the Top 25 for the first time since the NAIA's two divisions merged in 2020 when the preseason poll is released Oct. 22.

2025-26 CCC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
1. College of Idaho (8)	117
2. Southern Oregon  (2)	103
3. Lewis-Clark State	93
4. Oregon Tech	88
5. Eastern Oregon (1)	80
6. Bushnell	67
7. Corban	51
8. Northwest	47
9. Warner Pacific	42
10. Walla Walla	20
11.  Evergreen	18