FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Greensboro College men’s basketball was selected fourth in the USA South Pre-Season coaches poll. The Pride are looking to rebound from last season’s championship game loss. Greensboro welcomes 10 newcomers, to join returning team leader Damian Dixon and the rest of the returners.
Maryville College, under the direction of Head Coach Randy Lambert in his 34th year, was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to capture the USA South Athletic Conference men’s basketball title in 2014. Last season, the Scots finished tied for sixth in the Conference standings and were ousted from the USA South Tournament in the first round.
The 2013-14 season marks the first in the USA South for new Conference members Covenant College and Huntingdon College. Both institutions are former members of the Great South Athletic Conference. Additionally, William Peace College will field a men’s team for the first time in the program’s history.
Maryville received six of 11 first place votes and 93 points as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.
Ferrum College finished second in the balloting with 85 points and two first place votes while LaGrange College also grabbed two first place votes along with 78 points to place third. Last season’s USA South Tournament runners-up, Greensboro College, came in fourth place with 73 points, Methodist University followed in fifth place with 68 points and N.C. Wesleyan College collected the final first place vote along with 67 points to place sixth.
The men’s basketball season gets underway on Friday, November 8th, when The Pride travel to NC A&T for an exhibition contest at 7:00 PM.
2013-14 USA South Men’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
Rank Institution (1st Place Votes) Pts.
1. Maryville (6) 93
2. Ferrum (2) 85
3. LaGrange (2) 78
4. Greensboro 73
5. Methodist 68
6. N.C. Wesleyan (1) 67
t-7. Averett 37
t-7. Covenant 37
9. Huntingdon 28
10. William Peace 25
11. Piedmont 14