OKLAHOMA CITY - For the first time since the 2020-21 season, Nelson University has claimed the top seed in the 2025 Sooner Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament presented by the Oklahoma Ford Dealers. The conference post-season tournament begins tonight, Feb. 27, at the home courts of the top four seeds in the championship.
The Lions are receiving votes in the latest NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll and finished the regular season with an overall record of 21-7 and a league-best mark of 19-5. Nelson was picked in the runner-up position in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Defending regular season and tournament champions, Langston, won the first of two tiebreakers to get the No. 2 seed, while Mid-America Christian joins the field as the No. 3 seed. Wayland Baptist will enter the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the other tiebreaker that was needed to seed the tournament.
Nelson will open the tournament at the Sheaffer Center in Waxahachie, Texas, by hosting the No. 8 seed UNT-Dallas in a 7 p.m. tip. The Trailblazers won both of their matchups this season to enter the field with an overall record of 13-14 and a league mark of 10-14. This is the first appearance in the postseason tournament for UNT-Dallas since the 2021-22 season. Nelson won both of the regular season contests this year by scores of 78-74 and 94-79.
The 22nd-ranked Lions will play host to No. 7 seed Central Christian at the C.F. Gayles Fieldhouse in Langston, Okla., with a start slated for 8 p.m. Langston finished the regular season with an overall record of 21-7 and a league mark of 17-7. The Tigers join the tournament field with an overall record of 16-12 and a conference record of 12-12. Langston won both regular-season meetings between the two schools by scores of 73-64 and 75-52.
The Evangels, who are receiving votes in the latest Coaches' Poll, will take on No. 6 seed Texas Wesleyan at the Gaulke Activity Center in Oklahoma City, with the start time set for 8 p.m. Mid-America Christian wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season campaign with an overall record of 21-7 and a league mark of 17-7. The Rams enter the tournament with an overall record of 16-12 and a league record of 12-12. The Rams swept the season series between the schools by scores of 69-58 and 70-68.
The Pioneers will welcome No. 5 seed John Brown to the Hutcherson Center in Plainview, Texas, in an 8 p.m. tip. Wayland Baptist joins the field with an overall record of 16-12 and a league mark of 16-8. The Golden Eagles enter postseason action with an overall mark of 18-10 and a conference record of 16-8. The two teams split their regular season matchups, as the Pioneers won on their home court by a score of 82-75, with John Brown claiming a 75-72 overtime victory in Siloam Springs.
The winners of the four quarterfinal contests will travel to Langston, Okla., on Monday, March 3, to play in the conference semifinals, with the championship game set for Tuesday, March 4, at 8 p.m.
