AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State has been picked to finish second in the Peach Belt Conference’s men’s basketball preseason poll, according to a vote of the league’s head coaches released on Tuesday by the league office.

The fifth-ranked Jaguars, coming off their most successful season in school history, were narrowly outpointed by USC Aiken. The Pacers received seven of a possible 10 first-place votes to edge out ASU by just three points. Clayton State was third, one point ahead of North Georgia in fourth. Armstrong Atlantic State was fifth with GCSU sixth and Georgia Southwestern in seventh. Columbus State, Francis Marion, Lander and UNC Pembroke rounded out the voting.

The Jaguars, who finished second in the PBC regular-season standings last season, posted a 27-7 record in 2007-08 and captured the South Atlantic Regional Championship. ASU earned its first-ever bid to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass., and advanced to the National Championship game, becoming only the second PBC team to do so. The Jags are led by senior center Garret Siler who led the NCAA among all divisions in field goal percentage (.762) and led the PBC in rebounding. Also returning is two-time, all-conference guard Ben Madgen, who averaged 16.00 ppg. last season and was an All-South Atlantic Region pick as well.

The PBC regular season begins Nov. 15 and continues through the 2009 PBC Tournament, March 3-8 in Aiken, S.C.

The preseason poll is listed below. Teams were given 11 points for a first-place vote, 10 for second, etc.

2008-09 Peach Belt Conference 
Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll  

1.  USC Aiken                            97
2.  AUGUSTA STATE                        94
3.  Clayton State                        70
4.  North Georgia                        69
5.  Armstrong Atlantic State             66
6.  Georgia College & State              55
7.  Georgia Southwestern                 42
7.  Columbus State                       42
9.  Francis Marion                       34
10. Lander                               26
11. UNC Pembroke                         10