Joplin, Mo. — The NCAA released its first Division II Central Region Rankings today and the Missouri Southern men’s basketball program finds itself in third. 
The Lions are 17-5 overall and 11-4 in the MIAA and have qualified for its 16th-straight MIAA postseason tournament.
The Central Region consists of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the Great American Conference (GAC) and the MIAA. The champion of each conference is guaranteed a bid in the regional tournament and eight teams total qualify. The number one seed is offered the opportunity to host the event that will take place on March 14-16.
Winona State of the NSIC is ranked first in the initial poll, while Minnesota State is number two. Southern is third, followed by Northwest Missouri, Central Missouri, Fort Hays, Arkansas Tech, Bemidji State, Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State.
The complete regional poll is listed below.
| CENTRAL |
|
Division II Record | In-Region Record |
| 1 | Winona State | 18-4 | 18-4 |
| 2 | Minnesota State-Mankato | 19-4 | 18-3 |
| 3 | Missouri Southern State | 14-5 | 12-5 |
| 4 | Northwest Missouri State | 15-6 | 15-5 |
| 5 | Central Missouri | 17-4 | 17-3 |
| 6 | Fort Hays State | 18-4 | 18-4 |
| 7 | Arkansas Tech | 15-6 | 15-6 |
| 8 | Bemidji State | 15-6 | 15-6 |
| 9 | Southwest Minnesota State | 15-9 | 15-9 |
| 10 | St. Cloud State | 14-7 | 14-7 |