INDIANAPOLIS - The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (20-6, 16-4 NSIC) is ranked ninth in the first NCAA Division II men's basketball regional rankings, which were released on Wednesday (Feb. 19). The NSIC has three of the top 10 teams in the central region rankings. 

USF, which has clinched at least a tie for the NSIC South Division title and is tied for the overall NSIC lead with Northern State, earned its highest regional ranking ever. USF was 10th a year ago in the final regional rankings as part of a 19-11 season. Northern State is ranked fifth and Minnesota Duluth is sixth.

The NSIC, the Great American Conference (GAC) and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) make up the 42-team NCAA Central Region again this year.  The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament on March 14-15, 17.  Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the NSIC, GAC and MIAA postseason tournaments, with the remaining five spots being awarded on an at-large basis.

The NCAA Men's Basketball Selection Show is set to air on NCAA.com at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 8. The NCAA Elite 8 will take place on March 26 7 28,  at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The NCAA DII National Championship will be played on Sunday, April 5 in Atlanta, Georgia.
 

Rank	School	Overall DII	In-Region
1	Northwest Missouri State (MIAA)	21-1	20-1
2	Southwestern Oklahoma State (GAC)	17-6	16-5
3	Missouri Southern (MIAA)	16-5	16-4
4	Southern Nazarene (GAC)	18-7	18-7
5	Northern State (NSIC)	20-6	20-6
6	Minnesota Duluth (NSIC)	19-7	18-7
7	Rogers State (MIAA)	17-5	17-5
8	Oklahoma Baptist (GAC)	15-8	15-8
9	Sioux Falls (NSIC)	19-6	19-6
10	Henderson State (GAC)	15-7	15-7