OKLAHOMA CITY – With the MACU Men's Basketball returning some high end talent as well as bringing in a wellspring of experience to the program heading into the 2026-27 season, the Evangels were picked to finish fourth in the Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason poll released on Wednesday morning.

The poll is voted upon by the league's head coaches as the Evangels received 92 points, placing 16 points ahead of Texas Wesleyan and only seven points back of No. 24 Wayland Baptist.
 
SEASON PREVIEW

• Players to Watch:
  • Top Returners:
    • Morris Williams – R-SR – F
      • 2025-26 All-SAC First Team
      • 2025-26 Stats: 475 Points (16.4 ppg), 164-320 FG (51.3%), 62-141 3FG (44.0%), 85-107 FT (79.4%), 141 Reb (4.9 rpg), 43 Assists (1.5 apg), 35 Steals (1.2 apg)
    • Corey Skillman – SR – G
      • 2025-26 Stats: 304 Points (10.5 ppg), 107-233 FG (45.9%), 46-128 3FG (35.9%), 44-53 FT (83.0%), 92 Reb (3.2 rpg), 42 Assists (1.4 apg), 31 Steals (1.1 spg)
    • Zander Baker – R-JR – G
      • 2025-26 Stats: 148 Points (5.1 ppg), 40-122 FG (32.8%), 18-79 3FG (22.8%), 50-74 FT (67.6%), 78 Reb (2.7 rpg), 56 Assists (1.9 apg), 42 Steals (1.4 spg)
  • Top Newcomers:
    • JV Seat – R-SR – G – Previous School: Central Oklahoma
      • Redshirted 2025-26 season
      • During the 2024-25 season, helped lead NCAA D-II Central Oklahoma to a 19-13 record, started 32 games, averaging 13.3 ppg on 41.0 percent shooting, including 35.3 percent from three and 82.6 percent from the free throw line
    • Hudson Linsenmeyer – JR – G – Previous School: East Central (Okla.)
      • Competed in 32 games, making 15 starts over two seasons at NCAA D-II East Central
      • Averaged 6.9 ppg on 37.0 percent shooting, averaging 36.9 percent from the three-point arc and 87.0 percent from the foul line during 2025-26 campaign
    • Mike Carter Jr. – GR – G – Previous School: Oklahoma Panhandle State
      • During 2025-26 season at OPSU, averaged 11.4 ppg on 45.7 percent shooting, including 40.5 percent from three while averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game
    • Amar Kadic – SR – F – Previous School: Lincoln (Mo.)
      • Last season at NCAA D-II Lincoln, saw action in 20 games, made four starts, averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game
• Last Season at a Glance:
  • 2025-26 Record: 19-10 (13-9 SAC)
  • Mid-America Christian had some ups-and-downs over the course of the 2025-26 season, seeing some big time wins over No. 5 Langston by a score of 69-65 inside the Paycom Center on Dec. 6 as well as a 79-66 win at home against Wayland Baptist on Jan. 8.
  • The Evangels return their top two scorers from a season ago in redshirt senior forward Morris Williams as well as senior guard Corey Skillman.
  • Williams was named an All-SAC First Team honoree after wrapping up the season averaging 16.4 ppg while shooting at a highly efficient clip all over the court, including 51.3 percent from the field, 44 percent from the three-point arc, and 79.4 percent from the free throw line.
  • There was no one on the team more clutch than Skillman, who came up with some crucial game-winning and game-sealing shots throughout the season, including the go-ahead with just under a minute left in a 77-74 home win over Texas Wesleyan and a close road win at Central Christian. Overall, Skillman averaged 10.5 ppg while hitting on 45.9 percent of his shots, including 35.9 percent from range.
  • Zander Baker also returns after being one of the team's starting point guards during his redshirt sophomore campaign. Baker led the team in steals (42) and dished out the second-most assists (56) on the squad.
• What to Expect This Season:
  • While MACU does return those three key guys from last year's squad, the newcomers for the Evangels should provide the team with some excellent depth and talent both in the starting lineup and off the bench.
  • The headliner of the newcomers is redshirt senior guard JV Seat. After missing the 2025-26 season due to injury, he played a major impact in Central Oklahoma's strong 2024-25 campaign. On-top of starting all 32 games, Seat was also one of the team's top scorers, averaging 13.3 ppg while shooting well everywhere on the court.
  • The Evangels also added some more great guard depth with the additions of Hudson Linsenmeyer, Mike Carter, Jr., and Jude Hill. Linsenmeyer was a solid contributor for NCAA D-II East Central a year ago while Carter comes to MACU after an outstanding senior campaign with SAC rival Oklahoma Panhandle State. Not only was Carter a starter, but he averaged in double-figures while being an outstanding rebounder with the Aggies. Meanwhile, Hill is MACU's JUCO transfer, being a solid contributor at Eastern Oklahoma State a season ago.
  • Down in the post, the Evangels added two stellar bigs in Chidi Umeh and Amar Kadic. Umeh is a hybrid guard/forward with excellent length at 6-8 while Kadic brings more of a traditional post-up big man skills with also the ability to step out and hit a three. He was a solid contributor off the bench at NCAA D-II Lincoln a season ago.
• Key Games:
  • While MACU opens the season on Tuesday with a 6 pm tip against Ozark Christian before facing Arlington Baptist for Homecoming at 2 pm on Oct. 31, the Evangels will hit the meat of their non-conference slate in mid-November.
  • The Evangels will take on No. 9 LSU Shreveport in a neutral site battle on the campus of Nelson on Nov. 16 before following it up with the opening of SAC play on Nov. 19 at home against No. 24 Wayland Baptist.
  • On Nov. 27-28, Mid-America Christian will host the SAC/KCAC Thanksgiving Classic inside the Gaulke Activity Center as two of the top programs from the KCAC along with No. 8 Langston competing in the four-team event.