AUGUSTA, Ga. — Augusta men's basketball was picked seventh in the 2026–27 Peach Belt Conference preseason coaches' poll, released Tuesday. The Jaguars received 43 points in the vote.
Lander enters the season as the league favorite after winning the PBC regular-season and tournament titles, the NCAA Southeast Region championship and reaching the Division II national championship game last year. The Bearcats received nine first-place votes and 99 points. Columbus State was picked second with 86 points, followed by Flagler with 74.
The coaches also selected a five-player Preseason All-Conference Team: Lee Langstaff II of Columbus State, C.J. Jones of GCSU, Amir Reaves of Lander, Zack Hawkinson of North Georgia and Jonah Lawrence of USC Aiken.
2026–27 PBC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Lander (9) |
99 |
| 2 |
Columbus State (1) |
86 |
| 3 |
Flagler |
74 |
| 4 |
North Georgia |
69 |
| 5 |
USC Beaufort |
63 |
| 6 |
USC Aiken (1) |
60 |
| 7 |
Augusta |
43 |
| 8 |
GCSU |
42 |
| 9 |
Georgia Southwestern |
37 |
| 10 |
Middle Georgia |
20 |
| 11 |
Clayton State |
12 |
Coaches could not rank their own teams or vote for their own players. The PBC season begins in November. Before then, players and coaches from all 11 teams will gather Wednesday, Sept. 23, for the PBC Basketball Tip-Off at the GCSU Centennial Center in Milledgeville, Georgia. Interviews will stream live on the PBC Network.
