AMERICUS, Ga. -- Second-year head coach Aaron Coombs and the Georgia Southwestern men's basketball team received 31 points and was picked 10th in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, released Wednesday by the league.
After starting the season hot on a five-game winning streak, the Hurricanes hit conference play and everything shifted. Late game lead changes altered different endings for GSW, who only picked up five conference wins, leaving them in 10th place to end the season. Through adversity, Coach Coombs was able to bring in six new faces to match with two returning letter winners from last season.
Devon Higgs is one the Hurricanes five returners who will be leading the way. Higgs averaged eight points and six rebounds per game, leading the Hurricanes with 35 blocked shots last season alongside Kahlon Whitley, who started all 26 games last season and averaged eight points and three assists per game.
The PBC approved the league will feature 16 conference game with the top four teams advancing to the PBC Tournament following the season. The Hurricanes will open conference play at home against Lander on Jan. 6. Their first away game will be played Jan. 9 at Francis Marion before GSW invite Georgia College and Augusta to the Storm Dome on Jan. 13 and Jan. 16. GSW then takes a two-game road trip with games at Clayton State Jan. 20 and Flagler College on Jan. 23 before returning back home to host Columbus St. and UNC Pembroke, Jan. 27 and 30, respectively.
GSW opens up February on the road at North Georgia on Feb. 3 and then at USC Aiken on Feb. 6. Young Harris comes to town on Feb. 10 then the Hurricanes hit the road to take on Georgia College, Feb. 13. GSW hosts Clayton St. Feb. 17 and North Georgia Feb. 20 before closing out the season on the road at Columbus St on Feb. 24 and at Young Harris on Feb. 27.
At the end of the season, the top four teams will advance to the conference championship. The preseason coaches poll is listed below. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.
Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | Augusta (6) | 116 |
| 2. | UNC Pembroke (2) | 102 |
| 3. | Lander (3) | 92 |
| 4. | USC Aiken | 81 |
| 5. | Columbus State | 79 |
| 6. | Georgia College (1) | 74 |
| 7. | Flagler | 63 |
| 8. | North Georgia | 57 |
| 9. | Young Harris | 42 |
| 10. | Georgia Southwestern | 31 |
| 11. | Francis Marion | 29 |
| 12. | Clayton State | 26 |
PBC Basketball Preview Day