November 8, 2026 | By Junior
Another big weekend of NAIA MBB is in the books, and there is a lot to talk about before the next coaches’ poll.
Oklahoma Wesleyan has earned the top spot in our new NHR Top 25. Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon each picked up two ranked wins. Georgia Gwinnett keeps finding ways to win, and Clarke is off to the best start in school history.
Away from the court, the NAIA’s fifth-season decision will have a major impact on the association. We have that covered, too.
Oklahoma Wesleyan takes over at No. 1
The Eagles are 6–0 with two Top 25 wins over Langston and LSU Shreveport and an average winning margin of 20 points. That is a pretty good way to make your case.
The 89–64 win over Langston got everyone’s attention. An 80–61 win over LSU Shreveport added another strong result to a résumé that keeps getting better. OKWU started ninth in our preseason rankings and is now our No. 1.
Rocky Mountain, Indiana Wesleyan, Grace and Georgetown round out the top five. Rocky’s game against NCAA Division II No. 6 Black Hills State was an exhibition, so the Battlin’ Bears remain 0–0. Grace has responded well since losing to a good Morningside team and remains one of the favorites to win a national title.
Further down the list, Life enters at No. 23, followed by Concordia and Texas A&M–Texarkana. Texarkana’s win over Langston and overtime game against Nelson make the Eagles a team worth paying attention to.
Read the full NHR Top 25 and team breakdowns
The Cascade made a statement
Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon had four chances against ranked opponents this weekend. They won all four.
The Owls beat The Master’s 89–87 on Friday and followed it with a 74–62 win over Hope International. Southern Oregon beat Hope 79–69, then finished the weekend with an 82–76 win over The Master’s.
Those are wins over the No. 17 and No. 20 teams in the preseason coaches’ poll. Both Oregon programs gave the voters something to think about before Wednesday.
Oregon Tech’s last-second win Friday was one of the finishes of the weekend. More importantly, the Owls came back Saturday and backed it up. Southern Oregon was just as impressive in putting together its own sweep.
More from a busy weekend
Georgia Gwinnett keeps rolling. The Grizzlies are 6–0 after beating St. Thomas 94–65 and Tennessee Wesleyan 89–69. Saturday’s game was a good test: GGC trailed 43–41 at halftime before a 22–2 second-half run broke it open. Josh Ray finished with 16 points, while Devontre Chaney added 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists. This group can score, but the response after halftime was what stood out.
Nelson earns two tough wins. A 98–92 win over Our Lady of the Lake was followed by an 85–78 overtime win over Texas A&M–Texarkana. The Lions had to work for both, and they came away with a 2–0 weekend.
College of Idaho gets it done defensively. The Yotes held Providence to 61 and Carroll to 50 in a pair of wins. Eastern Oregon also swept its weekend, beating Dickinson State 79–61 and Bismarck State 90–62.
Keep the opponents in mind with Shreveport. LSU Shreveport’s two losses are to Arizona Christian and Oklahoma Wesleyan, both in the top six of our new rankings. The Pilots already have a win over Georgetown. There is plenty to like about this team despite the two losses.
For those who enjoy the close ones, Benedictine Mesa edged Warner Pacific 98–96, and Providence beat Northwest 106–103. November has already given us plenty of games worth staying up for.
Catch up with Sunday’s Daily Dive
Stock Watch
Lawrence Tech: Up. The Blue Devils beat Marian 86–82 and Union Commonwealth 74–70 on consecutive days. Two close games, two wins. Lawrence Tech deserves a little more attention after that weekend.
Missouri Valley: Up. A 70–49 win over Hannibal-LaGrange was followed by a 100–90 win over Manhattan Christian. The Vikings won one with defense and another by reaching triple digits. A good week to build on.
Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon: Up. Four ranked wins between them. Enough said.
The Master’s and Hope International: Watching the response. Neither got a win on the Oregon trip. Both will have opportunities to respond, but that was a tough weekend for two teams carrying preseason rankings.
Clarke makes school history
Clarke is 5–0 for the first time in school history.
The Pride beat Waldorf 110–75 on Friday, then went to Saint Xavier and won 77–66 on Saturday. It has been a great start for a program that deserves some attention beyond the Top 25 conversation.
All five games count toward Clarke’s overall record. That includes the wins over non-NAIA opponents Emmaus and Maharishi. Those games do not enter our NAIA-only RPI calculation, but they absolutely count toward this 5–0 start.
A fifth season is coming to the NAIA
The NAIA approved a fifth season of competition beginning in fall 2027. It is a significant change for players and programs, with academic progress and the remaining terms of attendance still part of the eligibility requirements.
It is not an automatic extra season for everyone, so players should work through their own situation with their school’s eligibility staff.
I talked with NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr about the decision on Road To Muni. If you want more context on the change, that conversation is a good place to start.
Watch the Jim Carr interview | Read the NAIA announcement
An impressive new home at IWU
I had the chance to be at Indiana Wesleyan’s new I AM THIRD Arena for Friday’s game against Kuyper. The Wildcats won 108–32, but getting to see that facility in person was a highlight of the weekend for me.
It is one of the premier facilities in the NAIA. Congratulations to everyone at IWU who helped make it happen.
Follow the numbers with NHR
Our running NHR RPI Index is available now, and we will keep building it as the season moves along. It gives you another way to follow teams and the schedules they are playing.
This is our independent NHR calculation. Coverage is still growing, so it is not an official NAIA ranking or a complete national picture yet.
Junior Ratings are also on the way. That will add another piece to our coverage as we get further into the season. More on that soon.
Check the running NHR RPI Index
Keep up with the week ahead
The next coaches’ poll is scheduled for November 11. After this weekend, there should be plenty of movement to discuss.
Until then, you can keep up with the games through our Scores & Schedules page and find your conference through the ARC & Conference Hub.
Good At Basketball.
Junior
NAIA Hoops Report
Independent coverage of NAIA basketball. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the NAIA.
