Rock Hill, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs have been picked to finish seventh in the preseason South Atlantic Conference men's basketball coach's poll, which was released Thursday morning. In addition,
Jordan Miller and
Corbin Pack have been named SAC Players to Watch. The Bulldogs went 12-15 overall last season, with an 11-13 record in league play.
Lenoir-Rhyne is the preseason favorite, followed by Anderson, LMU, Carson-Newman and Catawba. UVA Wise is sixth, with Wingate and Newberry rounding out the top eight. Tusculum is ninth, while Coker, Emory & Henry and Mars Hill finish out the poll.
Miller started all 27 games last season, averaging 10.7 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds per contest. Miller handed out 116 assists while piling up a team-best 65 steals. Miller shot 42 percent from the field, knocking down 29 threes while shooting 76 percent at the free throw line. He had four games with 20 or more points, including a 29-point effort against Carson-Newman.
Pack also averaged 10.7 points per game last season, adding 49 rebounds, 30 assists and 18 steals. He shot 44 percent from the field, while knocking down 45 triples, shooting 40 percent from three-point range. Pack also shot 89 percent at the free throw line.
2025-26 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Score |
| 1. |
Lenoir-Rhyne (8) |
128 |
| T2. |
Anderson (3) |
109 |
| T2. |
Lincoln Memorial |
109 |
| 4. |
Carson-Newman (1) |
104 |
| 5. |
Catawba |
97 |
| 6. |
UVA Wise |
86 |
| 7. |
Wingate |
70 |
| 8. |
Newberry |
60 |
| 9. |
Tusculum |
54 |
| 10. |
Coker |
50 |
| 11. |
Emory & Henry |
31 |
| 12. |
Mars Hill |
26 |
Men's Baskeball Preseason All-SAC
Jack Browder, Carson-Newman
Evan Ramsey, UVA Wise
Conrad Luczynski, Lenoir-Rhyne
Nick Walker, Catawba
Bryce Jackson, Tusculum
AJ Wright Jr., Anderson
Ian Blue, Anderson
Men's Basketball Players to Watch
Wingate: Jordan Miller, Corbin Pack
Carson-Newman: Braden Ilic
Catawba: Ibra Athie
Coker: Isayah Owens, Aaron Hall
Emory & Henry: Jackson Crawford, Korbin Dixon
Lenoir-Rhyne: Julian Dozier
Lincoln Memorial: Nate Mims, Yassin Hussein
Mars Hill: Aljaz Vidmar, Jaheim Taylor
Newberry: Drake Downs, Malakhi Stremlow
Tusculum: TJ Printup
UVA Wise: Patrick Shelley
