KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 30) – Defending Lone Star Conference champion Central Oklahoma found itself in another NCAA Division II preseason basketball poll Thursday, with the Bronchos ranked No. 7 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

UCO, which has eight players back from last year's 28-6 team, was also ranked seventh by Division II Bulletin and 12th by Basketball Times.

Findlay tops the NABC poll, receiving all eight first-place votes. South Carolina-Aiken is No. 2, followed by Bentley, Florida Southern and Augusta State. Tarleton State is the only other LSC team besides UCO in the top 25, with the Texans coming in at No. 19.

“It's a little strange to be getting all this preseason attention considering we lost our best player off last year's team (Sam Belt), but it's nice for the program to be getting the respect,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “Our guys are excited about this year and I think we've got a chance to have a really good team again.”

The Bronchos, who won the LSC North Division, the LSC Tournament and the South Central Regional last year before losing a double-overtime thriller to Augusta State in the Elite Eight, plays the first of two exhibition games next Tuesday at Oklahoma Christian.

UCO makes its home debut with an exhibition game against an Alumni team on Nov. 11 before opening the season for real at the Washburn Classic Nov. 15-16.

2008 NABC Top 25 Poll
1. Findlay (Ohio)
2. South Carolina-Aiken
3. Bentley (Mass.)
4. Florida Southern
5. Augusta State (Ga.)
6. Northern Kentucky
7. Central Oklahoma
8. Minnesota State-Mankato
9. WInona State (Minn.)
10. Gannon (Pa.)
11. Grand Valley State (Mich.)
12. Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
13. Central Washington
14. C.W. Post (N.Y.)
15. North Alabama
16. Northwest Missouri
17. Lenior Rhyne (N.C.)
18. Drury (Mo.)
19. Tarleton State (Texas)
20. Cal State-San Bernardino
21. Mount Olive (N.C.)
22. Kentucky Wesleyan
23. BYU-Hawaii
24. Fort Lewis
25. Pittsburgh-Johnstown