By: SOU Sports Information
ASHLAND – For the first time since the NAIA's two men's basketball divisions merged in 2020, Southern Oregon has a spot in the Top 25.
The Raiders came in at No. 14 in the preseason NAIA coaches' poll, released Wednesday by the national office. College of Idaho, the defending national champion, will start the season at No. 1.
The last time the Raiders appeared in any Top 25 was the final NAIA Division II poll of 2019-20, which had them at No. 8. They briefly received votes after a 4-0 start last season, but were off the board entirely when they came alive in the NAIA Tournament and ended up as one of the last eight teams standing with a 23-11 record.
In addition to C of I and SOU, the Cascade Conference has two more teams receiving votes in Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (No. 31 overall) and Oregon Tech (No. 34).
Five of the Raiders' seven non-conference games will be against teams either in the Top 25 or receiving votes. They start Friday at Oregon Tech.
The first poll of the regular season will be released Nov. 12.
| Rank |
Institution [1st-place votes] |
2024-25 |
Points |
| 1 |
College of Idaho [11] |
35-2 |
525 |
| 2 |
Arizona Christian [5] |
30-5 |
513 |
| 3 |
Georgetown (Ky.) [2] |
29-5 |
473 |
| 4 |
Langston (Okla.) [1] |
26-8 |
447 |
| 5 |
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
30-6 |
438 |
| 6 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
22-10 |
397 |
| 7 |
Grace (Ind.) |
29-6 |
365 |
| 8 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
27-6 |
364 |
| 9 |
The Master's (Calif.) |
26-6 |
363 |
| 10 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan |
28-8 |
345 |
| 11 |
Montana Tech |
24-7 |
336 |
| 12 |
Pikeville (Ky.) |
25-7 |
321 |
| 13 |
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
31-3 |
320 |
| 14 |
Southern Oregon |
23-11 |
318 |
| 15 |
Ave Maria (Fla.) |
25-7 |
269 |
| 16 |
Bethel (Ind.) |
24-9 |
191 |
| 17 |
Nelson (Texas) |
24-9 |
178 |
| 18 |
Dalton State (Ga.) |
24-7 |
177 |
| 19 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
25-8 |
176 |
| 20 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
24-9 |
155 |
| 21 |
Indiana Tech |
23-8 |
128 |
| 22 |
Life (Ga.) |
27-7 |
127 |
| 23 |
Graceland (Iowa) |
24-8 |
115 |
| 24 |
Friends (Kan.) |
24-8 |
106 |
| 25 |
Keiser (Fla.) |
26-6 |
94 |
| Receiving Votes: Dordt (Iowa) 90; Georgia Gwinnett 76; LSU Shreveport (La.) 53; Saint Mary (Kan.) 48; Hope International (Calif.) 33; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 29; Central Baptist (Ark.) 24; Johnson (Tenn.) 16; Oregon Tech 11; Rio Grande (Ohio) 8; Peru State (Neb.) 6; Spring Arbor (Mich.) 5; Madonna (Mich.) 4; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 2 |
