INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Following a 2-0 week to close the regular season, the Ouachita men's basketball team has moved up one spot to No. 6 in the latest NCAA Division II Central Region rankings.

The Tigers (22-6, 18-4 GAC) are seeking their third NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2016. The regional bracket will be unveiled this Sunday following the conclusion of conference championship tournaments across the country. The central region consists of teams representing the Great American Conference, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Ouachita's move up to No. 6 this week improves the team's chances of making the tournament field regardless of the outcome of the GAC Championship Tournament, which gets underway Thursday in Fort Smith, Arkansas at Northside Arena. The winner of the GAC tournament gets an automatic bid to the regional.

The 2025-26 season has been one of the best in the history of Ouachita men's basketball. The 22 wins ties the 2024-25 squad for the most wins in a season in the NCAA era. This year marks the 15th 20-win season all-time for the Tigers.

No. 2 seed Ouachita takes on No. 7 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday at noon in the first game of the GAC tournament. Ouachita swept SWOSU this season, beating the Bulldogs 61-56 on January 10 in Weatherford and 78-59 on February 5 at home inside Bill Vining Arena.

All games of the GAC tournament will be covered live on the GAC Sports Network for free through YouTube. Links to live video, live stats, ticket information, and more can be found at www.OBUtigers.com/coverage.