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2026 Anderson (SC) vs Lincoln Memorial - Men's

5 Things To Know Before The SAC Men's Basketball Season

5 Things To Know Before The SAC Men's Basketball Season

Preview the 2026-7 SAC men's basketball season with five things to know about Anderson's title defense, key departures and the conference championship race.

Oct 21, 2026 by Ajay Shah
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Replay: 2026 Catawba vs Anderson (SC) | Mar 7 @ 4 PM2:26:06

The South Atlantic Conference (SAC) has a defending champion, but the team that conquered the league last season looks considerably different entering 2026-27.

Anderson swept the SAC regular-season and tournament championships in 2025-26, but a new head coach and major roster turnover have opened the door for challengers. Lenoir-Rhyne finished second in the conference standings, Catawba came within three points of the tournament title, and Carson-Newman is entering a new era without one of the most decorated players in program history.

Here are five things to know about SAC men's basketball heading into the 2026-27 season. 

UPCOMING

2026 Anderson (SC) vs Lincoln Memorial - Men's

Sat, Dec 19 · 9:56 AM UTC

WATCH

1. Anderson Won Everything, But Almost Everything Has Changed

Anderson dominated the SAC in 2025-26, finishing 20-2 in conference play before capturing the tournament championship.

The Trojans defeated Wingate 69-67 in the quarterfinals, Lincoln Memorial 66-61 in the semifinals and Catawba 78-75 in the championship game.

Anderson finished the season 29-3 overall, but the biggest storyline entering 2026-27 is how much the program has changed.

Ben Thompson takes over as head coach following the departure of Jimmie Williams, who guided the Trojans to both championships.

Thompson arrives after previously serving as head coach at Emory & Henry, another SAC member. His new staff includes assistants Jameel Taylor, Rick Thompson and Micah Banks.

The roster also looks substantially different.

AJ Wright Jr., the 2026 SAC Tournament MVP and SAC Defensive Player of the Year, is no longer on Anderson's roster. Neither are fellow All-Region selections Osmar Garcia-Araujo and Rashawn Inglemon.

In fact, Anderson returns just two players from last season's team: Cal Godfrey and Cason Collins. Newcomers include transfers Cedric Patterson, Will Olden, David Fonville, Kory Davis and Kendall Davis.

Anderson enters the season with the championship trophies, but Thompson faces the challenge of building a new team capable of defending them.

2. Lenoir-Rhyne And Catawba Are Coming Off Strong Seasons

Anderson's closest challengers in last season's standings were Lenoir-Rhyne and Catawba.

Lenoir-Rhyne finished second in the SAC at 17-5, followed by Catawba at 16-6. Both programs carried that success into the postseason.

Catawba defeated UVA Wise 86-66 in the SAC quarterfinals before knocking off Lenoir-Rhyne 96-89 in the semifinals.

That set up a championship matchup against Anderson, where Catawba fell just short in a 78-75 loss.

Catawba finished 23-9 overall after losing to Columbus State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Lenoir-Rhyne went even deeper in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Southeast Regional championship game before finishing the season 26-9.

With Anderson undergoing major changes, both programs enter 2026-27 with an opportunity to reshape the top of the SAC standings.

3. Carson-Newman Must Replace One Of The SAC's Best Players

Carson-Newman enters the season without Jack Browder, one of the most accomplished players in Eagles history.

Browder finished his college career with 2,098 points and 897 rebounds, ranking fourth in SAC history in career scoring and sixth in career rebounding.

During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 25.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, earning SAC Player of the Year honors and First Team D2CCA All-America recognition.

Browder has since moved on to the professional ranks, signing with the Perry Lakes Hawks in Australia.

Carson-Newman finished 13-9 in conference play and 18-11 overall last season. The Eagles reached the SAC Tournament quarterfinals before losing to Lincoln Memorial 68-67.

Replacing Browder's production will be one of Carson-Newman's biggest challenges entering the new season.

4. Six SAC Teams Finished Above .500 In Conference Play

Anderson separated itself from the field last season, but the SAC still featured six teams with winning conference records.

The Trojans led the conference at 20-2, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne at 17-5, Catawba at 16-6 and Lincoln Memorial at 14-8. UVA Wise and Carson-Newman both finished 13-9.

Here is how all 12 teams finished in conference play:

  • Anderson: 20-2
  • Lenoir-Rhyne: 17-5
  • Catawba: 16-6
  • Lincoln Memorial: 14-8
  • UVA Wise: 13-9
  • Carson-Newman: 13-9
  • Emory & Henry: 11-11
  • Wingate: 10-12
  • Newberry: 6-16
  • Tusculum: 6-16
  • Mars Hill: 3-19
  • Coker: 3-19

Anderson wasn't unbeatable, either. Lincoln Memorial defeated the Trojans 87-78 on Feb. 14, while UVA Wise handed Anderson its other conference loss, 73-67, on Jan. 17.

With Anderson replacing most of its championship roster, last season's standings offer a starting point for a race that could look much different in 2026-27.

5. The Road To The SAC Championship Leads Back To Rock Hill

The South Atlantic Conference will again feature 12 men's basketball programs in 2026-27: Anderson, Carson-Newman, Catawba, Coker, Emory & Henry, Lenoir-Rhyne, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill, Newberry, Tusculum, UVA Wise and Wingate.

The 2027 SAC Basketball Championships are scheduled for March 3-6 at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

The tournament quarterfinals are scheduled for March 3-4, followed by the semifinals March 5 and championship games March 6.

Anderson will attempt to defend its title under new leadership, while Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Lincoln Memorial and the rest of the conference look to change the championship picture.

The Trojans may be the defending champions, but the next SAC title is up for grabs.

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