DALLAS –
East Texas Baptist was predicted to repeat with the American Southwest Conference Men’s Basketball title after a vote by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, released on Thursday.
ETBU, who earned its first ASC Men’s Basketball Championship last season, led the poll with 154 points and racked up 11 first-place votes. The Tigers advanced to the round of 32 in their first NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship.
Mary Hardin-Baylor came in second with 146 points and garnered the remaining seven first-place votes. The Cru won the regular season title last season and were able to reach the Sweet 16.
Hardin-Simmons came in third with 119 points after rallying in the conference tournament last season to a runner-up finish as the No. 4 seed.
UT Dallas was the other team to eclipse triple-digits in voting with 108 points.
Completing the rankings were
LeTourneau (81 pts.),
Concordia Texas (70),
McMurry (60),
Ozarks (48),
Howard Payne (24).
Sul Ross State will not count in the 2023 standings and are ineligible for both the ASC and NCAA Championships due to the Lobos reclassifying to NCAA Division II.
Twenty-five players were named to the ASC Men’s Basketball Preseason Watch List, which includes 10 that were on the 2022-23 ASC Men’s Basketball All-Conference. Headlining the group is Mary Hardin-Baylor senior guard
Josiah Johnson who is a two-time ASC Player of the Year and was on the ASC All-Defensive Team.
Opening tip comes November 8.
Wilson is the official basketball of the American Southwest Conference and its 10 members.
ASC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| No. |
Team (First-place votes) |
Pts. |
2022-23 Record (ASC) |
| 1. |
East Texas Baptist (11) |
154 |
24-6 (14-4) |
| 2. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor (7) |
146 |
23-6 (16-2) |
| 3. |
Hardin-Simmons |
119 |
19-9 (12-6) |
| 4. |
UT Dallas |
108 |
20-6 (15-3) |
| 5. |
LeTourneau |
81 |
12-14 (9-9) |
| 6. |
Concordia Texas |
70 |
13-12 (10-8) |
| 7. |
McMurry |
60 |
7-18 (6-12) |
| 8. |
Ozarks |
48 |
8-17 (3-15) |
| 9. |
Howard Payne |
24 |
3-22 (1-17) |
| $ - |
Sul Ross State |
- |
7-18 (4-14) |
$ – Ineligible for ASC and NCAA Championships
ASC Men's Basketball Preseason Watch List
| Name |
Pos. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| DJ Pigford |
G |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
| Dylan Scales |
G |
Sr. |
Concordia Texas |
Houston, Texas |
| Donovan Stafford * |
F |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Glenn Heights, Texas |
| Ryan Elzy |
G |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Hammond, La. |
| Darry Moore * |
F |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Tyler, Texas |
| Jayden Williams |
G |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Will Bartoszek * |
F |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Rockwall, Texas |
| Austin Brewer * |
G |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Stamford, Texas |
| Myles Brown |
G |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Houston, Texas |
| Ben Phillip |
G |
So. |
Howard Payne |
Boerne, Texas |
| Armonie Ramey R |
G |
So. |
Howard Payne |
Dallas, Texas |
| Walker Baine |
F |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Kingwood, Texas |
| Deonte Jackson * |
G |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Nacogdoches, Texas |
| Caedmon Liebengood |
F |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Longview, Texas |
| Payton Brooks |
G |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Abilene, Texas |
| Josiah Johnson *Y D |
G |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Big Sandy, Texas |
| Kyle Wright D |
G |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Texarkana, Texas |
| Elias Garcia * |
F |
Sr. |
McMurry |
Houston, Texas |
| CJ LeBlanc * |
G |
Sr. |
McMurry |
Dallas, Texas |
| Tim Eldridge |
G |
Sr. |
Ozarks |
Spring, Texas |
| Tylan Jackson |
G |
Jr. |
Ozarks |
Friendswood, Texas |
| Josh Ukpe * |
G |
Sr. |
Ozarks |
Bonham, Texas |
| Nick Donnelly |
G |
Jr. |
UT Dallas |
Flower Mound, Texas |
| Luke Kiser * |
G |
Jr. |
UT Dallas |
Burnet, Texas |
| Donovan Souter |
G |
Sr. |
UT Dallas |
Frisco, Texas |
2022-23 All-ASC Selection *
2022-23 ASC Player of the Year Y
2022-23 ASC All-Freshman Team R
2022-23 ASC All-Defensive Team D