In exclusive voting by head coaches from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), the Southwestern men's basketball team was ranked seventh in the nine-team conference in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. 

According to Head Coach Connor Kuykendall, what's important is where Southwestern starts and how it should finish are entirely different matters for this young team.

"We're going to be inconsistent early on. We would have been in a normal year, but that's especially true this year," Kuykendall said. "We have so many new guys, so many young guys, and I don't know if we know what we're truly capable of. We're still figuring out the best way to play together and learning things on the fly. We're going to be a completely different team a month from now." 

Of Southwestern's four upperclassmen, only senior Trenton Garrett and junior Kyle Poerschke were rotation players last season. Junior Chris Smith, Jr., expected to be a mainstay in the lineup this season, transferred to Southwestern this year. 

Garrett returns in the middle as, perhaps, the lone Pirate who finds himself in a familiar role. Last season, he alternated between starting at center and coming off the bench but provided defense, rebounding, athleticism, and some inside scoring in either role. He is looking to build on a strong finish to last season, scoring in double digits in each of the final five games. 

"Trenton is athletic and played well the last few weeks of the season, rebounding and scoring around the basket," Kuykendall said. "I'm hoping, with his senior season cut in half, that he can carry that over." 

With six Pirates graduating last year, including five who played heavy minutes, nearly every other returner finds themselves stepping into new roles this season. Perhaps none more than Kyle Poerschke, who averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game as an athletic spark off the bench last season. 

"I've seen his progression over the years, seeing him as a freshman while coaching another team to having a really good fall in the limited time we were together this year, and he's just gotten better and better," Kuykendall said. "I think he's ready to take that next step as a player and become more of a go-to guy who's unafraid to take the shot and ready to have plays drawn up for him." 

Smith, who transferred from Mountain View College, is expected to step in and play a prominent role right away. 

"He's one of the best natural athletes I've ever had the fortune to coach," Kuykendall said. "We're expecting big things from him, being an impact guy for what we want to do. Because he's a transfer and is already older and acclimated to college life, he has the opportunity to make the biggest impact right away." 

Garrett, Poerschke, and Smith will be flanked by three sophomores who received consistent minutes in their first seasons, albeit in smaller roles. 

Preston Hannah started in nine of the 26 games he appeared in last season, scoring 5.0 points in 14.9 minutes per game, shooting 44.0 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from deep. Calvin Williams was a stylistic counterpoint to Hannah, defending multiple positions and pulling down 3.1 rebounds while scoring 4.1 points per game. 

"Preston is one of those guys that played a lot right away and was a big part of what we did. He was more of an offensive threat who made shots, and to his credit, he's a confident player who works hard," Kuykendall said. "Calvin just does so many things that don't always show up in the box score. He's a smart basketball player who knows how to play and plays with great energy. Towards the end of the year, he was just so valuable because he could guard multiple positions and handle the ball well." 

Zac Black started in 14 of 26 games last season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game while playing through injuries and adjusting to the collegiate level. 

"I'm tough on my post guys, and I tell him that. If you ask my past guys, I ask a lot from them," Kuykendall said. "Being a first-year last year, then playing right away, that's a lot to put on any freshman's shoulders, and I thought, overall, he did some excellent things for us. He's working hard and really progressed, leaned down, and gotten stronger, and I'm hoping you'll see the results out on the floor." 

Leo Toussaint, a sweet-shooting forward with size, guard Josh Jones, Jack O'Neil, Mason Murphy, and Scott Thomas, are expected to see increased roles this year. 

"Last year, Leo Toussaint was stuck behind a guy in Brandon Alexander who was coming off a SCAC Player of the Year season," Kuykendall said. "But he's gotten better, and he's going to get some minutes." 

Freshmen Jacob Hester and Sam Lacy, a pair of scoring guards, should also find ways to contribute this season. 

"I like our young guys. I think they're going to do some great things now and in the future. But sometimes, it's just a matter of getting experience in a tough environment," Kuykendall said. "Sometimes, it's different when the ball is in your hands with the game on the line, and so that's something that they'll get better at as we go along, learning from our successes and failures." 

The Pirates open the season on Friday against Austin College, looking to show what they are even as they're still learning what their identity as a team will be. This season's only assurances are that this team will be different from the ones of recent years, and they'll be a different team in March than they are today.