DAILY DIVE • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
THE WAIT IS OVER. We have NAIA hoops tonight! The preseason picks are in, the watch links are ready and the road back to Municipal Auditorium starts getting real. Tonight, we get our first look at teams carrying big expectations, new faces and something to prove.
We have three Games of the Day, the full Thursday schedule, a razor-thin Sooner Athletic coaches poll and the newly released national Top 25. Plus, this morning’s Road To Muni preview is ready to watch, and we have a guest announcement for Friday. Let’s dive in!
Tonight’s Games of the Day
Columbia International at No. 18 Georgia Gwinnett • 6:30 p.m. CT
Year two for Georgia Gwinnett begins with a national ranking and an intriguing test. The Grizzlies went 25–7 in their debut season and reached the NAIA tournament. Returning senior Devontre Chaney gives GGC a proven centerpiece after earning CAC Player of the Year and second-team All-America honors. CIU arrives as the AAC coaches’ third-place pick. This is a good early measuring stick for both programs.
GGC’s opening-night preview • Watch on GGC Athletics YouTube
No. 14 Loyola at RV LSU Alexandria • 6:30 p.m. CT
A ranked road team. A new era for the home team. Loyola, the SSAC coaches’ preseason favorite, heads to Alexandria for Jake DuPree’s first game leading the Generals. LSUA’s roster includes 11 newcomers, so there will be plenty to learn about this group right away. Opening night does not settle a season, but this matchup should give us plenty to talk about.
LSUA’s season-opening preview • Watch on LSUA Athletics YouTube
Southern Oregon at Simpson • 9 p.m. CT
Keep a screen open for the late game. Southern Oregon returns five of its seven minutes leaders from a 17–12 team, including CCC Defensive Player of the Year Bryce Dyer and All-CCC selection Gio Evanson. Simpson enters as the defending Cal Pac champion. The Raiders won last December’s meeting 81–80. If we get another finish like that, opening night will be worth staying up for.
Southern Oregon’s season preview • Watch through Simpson’s official live page
Your Thursday schedule and links to watch
Build your viewing plan now. Our Thursday graphic includes 17 matchups, with the late slate stretching to Cal Lutheran at No. 17 The Master’s at 9:30 p.m. CT. Tap the graphic to enlarge it, then use the watch guide for clickable game and channel destinations.
- Open the October 22–30 Watch Guide for tonight’s streams and the rest of opening week.
- Bookmark our Scores & Schedules page to follow the action.
- Visit our Schedule and Links To Watch page when you are picking your next game.
Some destinations are a school’s channel rather than an individual broadcast. If a game has not appeared yet, check that channel’s live listings closer to tip-off. Times and streaming availability can change.
Newest league poll: Nelson edges Langston in the SAC
Two points. That is all that separates the top two in the Sooner Athletic Conference’s October 21 coaches poll. Nelson earned 115 points and Langston 113, with each receiving six first-place votes. Wayland Baptist follows with 99 points and Mid-America Christian with 92. College of the Ozarks and Central Christian are tied for 11th with 25 points apiece.
With Nelson No. 6 and Langston No. 8 nationally, this is already a league race to circle. Here is the coaches’ complete order:
- Nelson
- Langston
- Wayland Baptist
- Mid-America Christian
- Texas Wesleyan
- John Brown
- Science & Arts
- Oklahoma City
- Southwestern Christian
- Panhandle State
- College of the Ozarks
- Central Christian
Read the official SAC coaches poll
The latest AAC, KCAC and Frontier picks
- AAC • October 20: Pikeville leads with 159 points and eight first-place votes, but Johnson is only five points back with three first-place selections. CIU is third with 136 and Union Commonwealth fourth with 122; each received a first-place vote. Full AAC poll via Truett McConnell Athletics
- KCAC • October 20: Oklahoma Wesleyan collected 169 points and 13 first-place votes. McPherson is second with 149, Bethel third with 144 and the remaining first-place vote, and Southwestern fourth with 141. Friends and Kansas Wesleyan share seventh. Official KCAC poll
- Frontier • October 19: Rocky Mountain leads with 119 points and 10 first-place votes. Bellevue and Montana Tech are tied for second with 100 points and one first-place selection apiece. Official Frontier poll
Want the complete lists and the preseason Players to Watch? Yesterday’s Daily Dive brings together the AAC, KCAC, AMC, SSAC and Frontier, plus River States media-day interviews and more league previews.
The NAIA preseason Top 25 is here
Grace starts at No. 1 with 14 first-place votes, followed by defending champion Freed-Hardeman with four and Arizona Christian with one. Rocky Mountain and Indiana Wesleyan round out the top five. Keiser and Oklahoma Wesleyan share No. 11. These are the official coaches’ selections, not NHR’s own rankings.
- Grace (Ind.)
- Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
- Arizona Christian
- Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
- Indiana Wesleyan
- Nelson (Texas)
- Georgetown (Ky.)
- Langston (Okla.)
- LSU Shreveport (La.)
- Cumberlands (Ky.)
- Keiser (Fla.)
- Oklahoma Wesleyan
- Ave Maria (Fla.)
- Loyola (La.)
- Eastern Oregon
- College of Idaho
- The Master’s (Calif.)
- Georgia Gwinnett
- Concordia (Neb.)
- Hope International (Calif.)
- Pikeville (Ky.)
- Madonna (Mich.)
- William Carey (Miss.)
- Wayland Baptist (Texas)
- Morningside (Iowa)
Official October 21 NAIA poll • Our full Top 25 breakdown, conference counts and state-by-state look
Watch this morning’s Road To Muni preview
Before the ball goes up, catch our NAIA MBB Tip Off Preview Show. We take the preseason conversation around the ARCs and set the table for the season ahead. Watch it now, then come back tonight with a few teams on your radar.
Watch the full episode on YouTube
Coming Friday: Darius Miles joins the show
We are hosting Darius Miles, Rust College’s GM, on Friday’s episode of Road To Muni! Put October 23 on your calendar and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss the conversation. We are excited to have him with us.
Catch up on our recent coverage
- Grace Leads the 2026–27 NAIA Preseason Top 25: the favorites, conference representation and state breakdown.
- October 21 Daily Dive: league polls, Players to Watch and RSC media-day interviews.
- Rocky Mountain Leads the Frontier Poll: Bellevue and Montana Tech share second.
- Peyton Law and Jalen Langsy Earn Preseason All-Sun Belt Honors: two familiar names continue their journeys.
- Madonna Leads Indiana Tech in the WHAC Coaches Poll: another conference race to keep on your screen.
The polls gave us the starting line. Tonight, the teams get the floor. Pull up the watch guide, pick your games and enjoy opening night.
The red banners are waiting. Good At Basketball.
