C-N, LMU prognosticated as preseason favorites in SAC Coaches Poll
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial tied for first place in the preseason South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball coaches poll, the league office announced Wednesday morning.
VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial tied for first place in the preseason South Atlantic Conference men's basketball coaches poll, the league office announced Wednesday morning.
This is the first time under head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson that the Eagles have been picked in the top spot in the preseason poll.
Both C-N and LMU received six first-place votes and 137 points. Catawba also received a first-place vote and was picked third in the poll with 125 points.
Now, get ready for delightfully sardonic Chuck Benson quote.
"First of all, do you say thank you? I don't know that you do, I mean, I guess we should?" head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "It absolutely. It absolutely does not matter. It doesn't matter. Preseason polls, I don't even know why we have them. It means nothing. So for those that do care about that, then good, congratulations, whatever. We've just got to go play games, man, and then we'll see how it all pans out in March."
This is the first time Carson-Newman has been in pole position for the preseason ranking in two decades (we believe, digital records are a tad dodgy pre-2009).
Following C-N, LMU and Catawba in the top three spots, Wingate was picked fourth with 104 points to round out the programs receiving triple digits.
"The LMUs, the Wingates, the Catawbas, I have nothing respect for the coaches, the programs, the players there, they've all had immense levels of success during the history of the South Atlantic Conference," Benson said. "So again, I'm not surprised that you mentioned that. That's three of the top four. I'm not one bit surprised by it and know that they will be great representatives of our league throughout this season."
If going based off coaches predictions, Tusculum, Anderson, Coker and Lenoir-Rhyne would all make the South Atlantic Conference tournament, being ranked five through eight.
UVA Wise, Newberry, Limestone, Mars Hill and Emory & Henry round out the final five spots.
Carson-Newman opens the season at 11 a.m. Saturday against Lake Superior State in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 10:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
