The Langston Lady Lions remain undefeated at 8-0 and jumped 14 spots to No. 10 in the first regular season NAIA Div. I Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll released Tuesday.
Langston was ranked 24th in the preseason poll, coming off a trip to the national tournament in 2014. Â LU has opened this year with eight straight victories, including an upset of then-No. 1 Oklahoma City, 71-68, in a rematch last season’s first round tournament meeting.
The Lady Lions are No. 10 in scoring (80.2 ppg) and have topped the century mark in scoring in each of the last two games – 105 vs. Paul Quinn and 104 vs. Texas College.
LU senior Lynette Holmes is back at the top of the scoring list again this season with 26.5 points per game while connecting on 51 percent of her shots.
Oklahoma City dropped one spot to No. 2 and has only the Langston loss as a mar on its 5-1 record. Â The Stars are just behind Freed-Hardeman, which occupies the top spot in the poll. Â OCU defeated FHU, 80-76, in last season’s national championship game.
Oklahoma Baptist moved up one spot to No. 7 this week. Â The Lady Bison are 8-1 and 2-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play.
The same three schools have representation in the men’s basketball poll.
OBU is the only team in the top 25. Â The Bison (9-2) moved up one notch to No. 11. Â Oklahoma City (4-3) and Langston (4-1) both received votes. Â Langston’s men also won an early season contest over OCU, 83-68.
St. Gregory’s was one of seven teams to drop from the rankings after being listed in the preseason men’s basketball top 25.
In NAIA’s Division II, Oklahoma Wesleyan’s women’s team continues a slow move up the poll.
The Lady Eagles (9-2) started at No. 23 in the preseason poll and moved to No. 22 last week. Â OKWU is in this week’s ranking at No. 20.
OKWU had a seven-game winning streak in November.