HobbsDailyReport.com
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The men’s basketball coaches in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) have predicted Lenoir-Rhyne University will finish eighth in an 11-team race for a league title this season.
In a vote on preseason team finishes and preseason all-star teams, coaches favored Queens – last year’s regular season co-champion and tournament champion – to repeat as an SAC champion this season.
Also picked to finish ahead of LRU, which opens the season on Friday at 3 p.m. at UNC Pembroke, were also Lincoln Memorial, Carson-Newman, Catawba, Wingate, Newberry, S.C., and Anderson, S.C.
Lincoln Memorial tied Queens for last season’s regular-season title and reached the NCAA Division II semifinals.
The Bears went 10-17 last season overall and 9-13 in the SAC.
LRU has played one exhibition, at home against The Citadel, and won 97-83.
Guard Reed Lucas, a senior from Greensboro, is the Bears’ leading returning scorer at 13 points per game. He made 69 shots last year from 3-point range.
The top newcomers for LRU this season are expected to be junior forward Bertrand Awana from Yaounde, Cameroon and junior guard Cory Thomas from Louisville, Ky.
LRU’s opening game on Friday is part of the SAC/Peach Belt Conference Challenge and UNC Pembroke is ranked No. 23 in the country.
SAC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON VOTING
TEAM FINISHES
1. Queens (8) 98
2. Lincoln Memorial (2) 91
3. Carson-Newman (1) 80
4. Catawba 67
5. Wingate 62
6. Newberry, S.C. 57
7. Anderson, S.C. 48
8. LENOIR-RHYNE 37
9. Tusculum 34
10. Coker 17
11. Mars Hill 14
PRESEASON-ALL-SAC
First team
Charles Clark, Carson-Newman
Randall Shaw, Anderson
Jalin Alexander, Queens
Jameel Taylor, Catawba
Todd Withers, Queens
Dorian Pinson, Lincoln Memorial
Second team
Mike Davis, Queens
Trevon Shaw, Lincoln Memorial
Jerrin Morrison, Catawba
Emmanuel Terry, Lincoln Memorial
Ike Agusi, Queens
Marshall Lange, Newberry
- Reported by LRU Sports Information