Southwest Baptist and Central Missouri’s recent dominance takes the debate out of the MIAA preseason expectations. The drama comes down to who will emerge from the middle of the pack, Missouri Western men’s coach Tom Smith said.

Baptist and Central — who were picked No. 1 and No. 2 in the coaches preseason poll released Tuesday — both earned Division II postseason berths last year, but the rest of the conference got shut out.

“Those two teams have established themselves as the top two teams,” Smith said. “But we can’t get Nos. 3 and 4 to separate. We just beat each other up. That’s why our league is not getting more than two teams in the tournament when in all reality the MIAA is probably better than the Lone Star (Conference).”

The coaches picked Western fifth — a “pleasant surprise,” Smith said — after the team finished 14-16 overall last season but then surged all the way to the MIAA tournament championship game, where they lost in overtime to Central.

The Griffons return three starters, including Marcus Rhodes, James Bush and Dominique Thuston.

“It’s been a few years since we’ve returned that many starters,” Smith said. “And those kids have a better idea as to what it takes and how hard you have to work in the MIAA.”

But Smith said the middle pack of the MIAA should be competitive again. He listed Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Omaha, Emporia State and Pittsburg State — along with his own Griffons — as the likeliest teams that are able surface at the top with Baptist and Central.

“Someone needs to step out of those five or six teams,” Smth said, “and really establish themselves.”

Northwest Missouri State, coming off one of its worst years when they finished 12-15, ranked 10th in the poll.

Western opens its season with an exhibition game Nov. 4 against Division I Creighton in Omaha, Neb.

Northwest starts with an exhibition on Nov. 13 at Missouri.