OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 8, 2018) – It finally all came together for Oklahoma Christian in last season's Heartland Conference Championship men's basketball tournament and the seventh-seeded Eagles took their supporters on a thrill ride all the way to the title game, one step from the NCAA Division II tournament.

There are some big parts to replace, but a good core of players from that squad returns to join what coach Cory Cole believes is a strong cast of newcomers. Last season's experience of coming so close should provide his squad ample motivational fuel during the 2018-19 campaign, which will start Friday when the Eagles face Texas A&M-Commerce in Lawton in the Heartland-Lone Star Challenge.

OC went 4-4 against Division II tournament qualifiers last season, but even so, not a lot of folks outside the program are convinced – the Eagles finished only a modest seventh in the preseason Heartland poll after a 12-18 overall finish. Cole said it's up to his team to prove the naysayers to be wrong.

"We have to try and build upon that," Cole said of the Eagles' strong finish. "We've got eight returning (rotation players), so culture and expectation have been established. Guys know what to expect and what it takes to win. I think our program. The expectation now is to swing for the fences. It's a cliché, but we expect to compete night in and night out and model consistency.

"Last season, we built a foundation based on how we finished. We talked all season long about getting to the end and finishing. … We played for a championship last season. Now our guys know what that looks like. This season, the buy-in has been a lot quicker. It's good for the guys to have that experience, because sometimes, you can do so much talking, but you've just got to get down and do it."

With the departure of All-Heartland guard Elijah Strickland – the heart and soul of the Eagles the past couple of seasons – his former backcourt mate, fifth-year senior Jordan Box, appears poised to step into that significant leadership role.

Box – the last remaining player on the roster who played for Cole's predecessor, the legendary Dan Hays – would seem well-suited, coming off a season in which he averaged 15.4 points per game, shot 42 percent from 3-point range and earned Heartland player-of-the-week honors once.

"It's his team," Cole said. "The team has been built around Jordan. He's been looking forward to that. He's embraced it. He had his best off-season. He was here all summer and committed and locking in with the guys and forming that chemistry and taking that leadership role, because it's different."

OC's new point guard is junior Brian Carey, a transfer from NCAA Division I Texas Southern who started seven games last season for a team that made the Division I tournament. Carey, a former Colorado prep player of the year, is a student of the game who always is looking for ways to improve, qualities that Cole said will dovetail nicely with his team's needs.

In addition to Box and Carey, there should be plenty of flexibility in the OC backcourt. A pair of junior-college transfers, Aubrey Johnson and 6-foot-5 Marcus Blackwell, all can play both guard positions as well as small forward. Both are proven collegiate scorers who aren't afraid to penetrate the lane.

Junior guards James Bagwell and Conner Johnson both saw action in critical spots last season and provide Cole with the assurance they'll be where they're supposed to be on the court because they know the OC system. Conner Johnson also is a strong defensive player who can give opponents fits when they have possession.

Two other returning guards, junior Travis Glover and redshirt freshman Kamren Evans, and incoming freshman Robert Gregg round out the OC backcourt and should provide quality depth for the Eagles.

Blackwell, Aubrey Johnson and 6-foot-5 freshman D.J. Walter provide Cole with strong options on the wing, and sophomore Harrison Martin – with a season under his belt in the OC system – also has shown flashes during the preseason.

Cole's four primary frontcourt players all figure to play important roles. Will Lienhard established himself last season as OC's go-to player to do the so-called "dirty work" of rebounding, defense and blocking shots, averaging 4.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and a conference-best 2.2 blocks per game.

Senior forward Roderick Smith finished fifth in the Heartland last season at 7.1 rebounds per game and both that number and his 12.7-point scoring average might well rise this season if he can stay out of foul trouble, something Cole said Smith has worked hard to do.

A pair of transfers also will play key roles inside. York Benjamin, a 6-foot-8 sophomore transfer from NCAA Division I Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, is (like Lienhard) an outstanding rim protector, and 6-foot-5 senior Braden Eggleston joins the Eagles from Division II Harding (Ark.), where he started 33 games over three seasons. Last season, he averaged 9.0 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Bisons.

Two players, freshmen Will Graham and Gerald Smith, will redshirt this season.

The Eagles should be tested early and often this season. Texas A&M-Commerce finished 27th in the voting for the Division II Sports Information Directors Association 's preseason poll and longtime archrival Southern Nazarene was No. 7. OC also will have a road game against longtime Division II power Midwestern State (Texas)

Heartland foe Dallas Baptist (Texas) – which beat OC in the league tournament title game after splitting with the Eagles during the regular season – was No. 21 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches' preseason poll. DBU will be the league favorite, but otherwise the Heartland would appear to be wide-open.

So what's the ceiling for this season's Eagles? Cole doesn't hesitate in answering.

"Every year, I'm going to say conference championship," he said. "I think that you've always got to push for the best and prepare for that. If not, I think you're holding your kids back. I think our guys, we have that potential. It's not something that we're going to talk about every day, but that's the end game. We're working to be a championship program.

"If we finish games, we'll be where we need to be at the end of the season."