Lady Rangers Basketball picked 10th in GAC preseason poll
October 19, 2018
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – When the Great American Conference released its women’s basketball preseason coaches poll Wednesday afternoon, the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Lady Rangers were listed to finish the upcoming regular season in the 10th position.
Third year head coach Tasha Diesselhorst said the focus for her staff and team is inward.
“Right now we are just focusing on ourselves and growing as a team,” said Coach Diesselhorst. “We are starting to identify our strengths and weaknesses. Our seniors have done a great job leading this preseason and I am excited to get started with official practices this week.”
Despite finishing in a tie for eighth in the GAC regular season last season at 8-14, the Lady Rangers (12-16 overall) just missed the conference tournament due to a tie-breaker with Oklahoma Baptist.
Northwestern had six wins last season over teams selected to finish higher at season’s end, including a season sweep of East Central. The Lady Rangers also went toe-to-toe in both contests against Southwestern Oklahoma State, who is tabbed to win the conference in 2018-19.
SWOSU received 11 of 12 first-place votes in the poll, while Arkansas Tech received the final first-place vote. Coaches do not select their own team in the voting process.
Northwestern will tip off its season with a three-game road swing at Tabor College (Kansas) on Nov. 5 and the always tough MIAA/GAC Challenge that weekend in Tahlequah against Central Oklahoma and Northwestern State.
The Lady Rangers' first contest at Percefull Fieldhouse is set for Nov. 15 when they host Emporia State, while Oklahoma Christian comes to Alva on Nov. 20. After a trip for a pair of games in Hawaii over Thanksgiving, conference play will get going Nov. 29 at home against Southern Nazarene.
Harding and Henderson were picked to finish third and fourth in the league, while Southeastern Oklahoma State was listed in the fifth spot and Oklahoma Baptist was sixth.
While the Lady Rangers were picked to finish 10th, seven through 10 were bunched up closely in the final point tally. Ouachita Baptist finished seventh in the poll with 55 points, followed by SNU with 51 points and East Central with 49.
With a significant gap between the Lady Rangers and the 11th spot, Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the preseason poll.
The Lady Rangers are in the same position as they were entering last season when they were picked for finish 10th in that poll as well.
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