ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lenoir-Rhyne has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2026-27 South Atlantic Conference men's basketball title, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. The conference also announced its 2026-27 Men's Basketball Players to Watch, recognizing 24 student-athletes expected to make an impact this season.
The Bears earned five first-place votes and totaled 115 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll, narrowly edging Lincoln Memorial, which also received five first-place votes and finished with 111 points.
Catawba secured third place with 103 points and one first-place vote, while Tusculum and Carson-Newman tied for fourth with 80 points apiece. The Pioneers also collected one first-place vote.
Wingate was picked sixth with 74 points, followed by UVA Wise in seventh with 56 points and Emory & Henry in eighth with 44 points.
Newberry (41), Coker (36), Mars Hill (34) and Anderson (18) rounded out the preseason rankings.
In addition to the coaches' poll, the SAC unveiled its annual Men's Basketball Players to Watch list, featuring two representatives from each of the conference's 12 institutions. The 24-player group highlights student-athletes to keep an eye on as teams prepare for the upcoming campaign.
The complete preseason coaches' poll and Players to Watch list are below.
2026-27 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
Lenoir-Rhyne (5) |
115 |
| 2 |
Lincoln Memorial (5) |
111 |
| 3 |
Catawba (1) |
103 |
| T4 |
Tusculum (1) |
80 |
| T4 |
Carson-Newman |
80 |
| 6 |
Wingate |
74 |
| 7 |
UVA Wise |
56 |
| 8 |
Emory & Henry |
44 |
| 9 |
Newberry |
41 |
| 10 |
Coker |
36 |
| 11 |
Mars Hill |
34 |
| 12 |
Anderson |
18 |
First-place votes in parentheses.
2026-27 SAC Men's Basketball Players to Watch
Anderson: Kendall Davis, Kory Davis
Carson-Newman: Matt Bilbrey, Sean Lindsay
Catawba: Carson Daniel, Chase Daniel
Coker: Khalil Green, Kenney Rogers
Emory & Henry: Melchior Hughes, Isaac Hymes
Lenoir-Rhyne: Deuce Benjamin, Jaylen Subject
Lincoln Memorial: Kam Roberts, Trey Horton III
Mars Hill: Keenan Wilkins, Ashton Troutman
Newberry: Kayzzin McDowell, Brett Dent
Tusculum: Jordan Attia, Amari Allen
UVA Wise: Cy Hardy, Anderson Cummins
Wingate: Jordan Miller, Chase McKey