ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Tusculum's men's basketball team is picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference according to the 2009-10 Coaches' Poll.

Tusculum seniors Kyle Moore and Josh Bennett were also named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.

The Pioneers received two first-place votes and 68 total points in the poll of the league's nine coaches. Tusculum returns four starters from last year's 20-11 squad that advanced to the Food SAC Tournament Championship game and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Catawba, which has won back-to-back tournament titles, is the preseason favorite. The Indians received six first-place votes and 77 total points. Lincoln Memorial was picked to finish third followed by Lenoir-Rhyne, who picked up the final first-place vote, Wingate, Mars Hill, Carson-Newman, Brevard and Newberry.

Moore, a 6-3, 185-pound guard from Gainesville, Fla., was last season's South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and was named to the Preseason First Team. He led the league in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game, while establishing a pair of league records with 101 three-point field goals made and 203 made free throws.

Bennett was named to the Second Team.

Tusculum tips off its season Nov. 16 when they host Tennessee Wesleyan at Pioneer Arena, beginning at 8 p.m.