BRISTOL, Tenn.- The 2026-27 Conference Carolinas men's basketball preseason poll is out, and the King University men's basketball team is set to tip off a new campaign eager to climb the league standings and make waves in a competitive conference.
Preseason poll overview
UNC Pembroke, the perennial power and defending east division champions, were picked atop the poll by the league's coaches, collecting nine first-place votes and 219 points. King slots in at 11th with 99 points, just behind Belmont Abbey and Converse, and ahead of Ferrum, Lees-McRae, Shorter, and Erskine. Chowan, Young Harris, Emmanuel, and North Greenville round out the top five.
King will look to outperform expectations in a stacked field that includes last year's tournament runner-up Chowan (picked second) and defending champion Young Harris (third), as well as Emmanuel, North Greenville, and a deep middle of the pack.
This trio, bringing experience and versatility, will anchor the lineup as King battles through the always-tough league schedule.
Championship outlook
The Conference Carolinas men's and women's basketball championships will tip off in late February with a new format, as seeds 4-12 compete in opening-round games before quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals take place March 5-7 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. King's path begins in the regular season, where every contest will be critical to postseason seeding.
Looking ahead
With their sights set on moving up the standings, King men's basketball is poised to compete with pride, energy, and determination in 2026-27. The Tornado faithful can expect an exciting season as the team looks to make its mark in Conference Carolinas.
This content is sourced from
King Tornado Athletics – King University
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
