VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview 

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman's men's basketball program has been picked to finish sixth in the South Atlantic Conference in the annual preseason poll released by the league office Thursday morning. 

"Of all the things we do, this is the one I think is the most asinine on every level," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "Preseason polls mean absolutely nothing to me or anybody else for that matter. We're sixth? Alright. We'll find out in March where we fall, and that's all we care about."

Carson-Newman tallied 89 points in the poll after last year's 14-14 season with an 8-10 mark in league play. 

LMU was picked to win the league with 11 first-place votes and 143 points. Catawba followed with the other two first-place votes and 134 points. 

Lincoln Memorial finished the 2022-23 season with a record of 30-5 overall. The Railsplitters repeated as South Atlantic Conference regular season champions, won the Southeast Regional, and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight.

The Catawba College Catawba Indians finished the 2022-23 season with a 23-8 overall record and were crowned the SAC Tournament champions.

Newberry, Wingate and Tusculum occupy the three slots above C-N in the poll. 

Carson-Newman opens the season Nov. 11 with a Conference Challenge in Wise, Va. Tipoff against Lees-McRae is set for 5:30 p.m.  Coverage is available on the Eagle Sports Network on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. 

2023-24 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rank School (First Place Votes) Points
1 Lincoln Memorial (11) 143
2 Catawba (2) 134
3 Newberry 107
4 Wingate 105
5 Tusculum 98
6 Carson-Newman 89
7 Anderson 76
8 Lenoir-Rhyne 55
9 Emory & Henry 53
10 Limestone 47
11 UVA Wise 45
12 Coker 34
13 Mars Hill 28