DALLAS, TX:  The Red River Athletic Conference released today the results of the 2005-06 RRAC men’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll.  The Texas Wesleyan University Rams were slated third, just behind top-seeded Houston Baptist University and Texas College.

Texas Wesleyan garnered one first place vote and 101 points in the poll.  Houston Baptist received seven first place votes and 115 points to top the poll while Texas College received three first place votes and 105 points.

The Rams reached the semifinals of last season’s RRAC Tournament after being picked seventh in the preseason poll, and return eight players from last year’s squad.  They have retained the bulk of a backcourt that hit an outstanding 348 three-pointers, shot 40.2% from long range, and dished out 641 assists, all of which are school records.

Guards Ben Hunt, Khari McKinney, and Brad Schilder are all back for their senior seasons.  Hunt logged a team-high 34.9 minutes per game and was named 1st-team All-RRAC.  He also ranked 2nd on the team with 17.5 points per game and 100 3-pointers while setting a school record with his lights-out 90.7% shooting from the free throw line.  Kharyi McKinney set a school record with his 48.1% shooting from long range while averaging 13.8 points per game.  Schilder averaged 10.6 points per game and became the 17th member of the 1,000-point club at Texas Wesleyan.  He enters his senior year with 1,004 career points.

The 2005-06 season will get under way for Texas Wesleyan on Friday, November 4, when they travel to Waxahachie, TX, to take on College of the Ozarks.

2005-06 RRAC Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

School                                                          (1st) Total

1. Houston Baptist University                         (7) 115

2. Texas College                                            (3) 101

3. Texas Wesleyan University                         (1) 101

4. Texas A&M International University            86

5. Jarvis Christian College                               62

6. UT-Permian Basin                                       61

7. Bacone College                                           59

8. Southwestern Assemblies of God                 54

9. Paul Quinn College                                      35

10. Huston-Tillotson University                        26

11. Wiley College                                            22