UT Ranked First In Initial South Region Poll
INDIANAPOLIS - The University of Tampa men's basketball team is ranked No. 1 in the first installment of the NCAA Division II South Region rankings, as released by the NCAA.
The Spartans headline a list of three Sunshine State Conference schools in the top 10, which also includes No. 4 Rollins and No. 5 Florida Southern. Alabama-Huntsville and Harding, both from the Gulf South Conference, are No. 2 and 3 respectively.
Tampa is 17-2 on the season and is also 10-2 in South Region play. The Spartans are back in action on Saturday as it hosts Barry University at 7:30 p.m.
The top eight in the regional rankings earn a selection to the NCAA tournament, though it is possible for less to qualify if an automatic berth is won by a team outside of the top eight. The automatic berths are granted to the champions of the three conference tournaments in the South Region - the Gulf South Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and the SSC.