REGIONAL RANKINGS REVIEW--MEN

Our coverage leading up to the NCAA Division II basketball tournament continues with a review of the men's regional rankings.

NOTE: Only games against NCAA Division II opponents are counted in the regional rankings. The overall records against all D-II opponents, followed by the in-region record. All records listed reflected action through Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008.

South Region

1.
North Alabama
17-7
16-4

2.
Tampa
16-6
14-4

3.
Florida Southern
19-6
16-5

4.

Benedict
17-4
17-4

5.

Rollins
16-5
11-5

6.
Harding
10-7
10-7

7.
Eckerd
15-7
15-4

8.
Alabama-Huntsville
12-11
10-9

9.
Ouachita Baptist
13-6
12-5

10.
Christian Brothers
13-9
12-7

Analysis: North Alabama (22-7 overall as of Feb. 25) has been the class of a Gulf South Conference that's had a down year so far, as no other team in the league has won more than 20 games overall. The Sunshine State Conference, meanwhile, has flexed its muscles tremendously, placing four teams (Tampa, Florida Southern, Rollins, & Eckerd) in the top eight regionally. Benedict (22-4, 19-2) has run away with the SIAC regular season title, but the jury is still out as to whether the Tigers can close the deal in the upcoming conference tournament.

South Atlantic Region

1.
Augusta State
19-3
19-3

2.
South Carolina Aiken
20-2
20-1

3.
Lenoir-Rhyne
19-3
18-3

4.
Elizabeth City State
17-4
17-4

5.
Wingate
17-4
15-4

6.
Virginia Union
17-6
15-6

7.
Carson-Newman
16-4
16-4

8.
Bowie State
16-7
16-7

9.
Armstrong Atlantic State
15-8
15-8

10.
GCSU
13-7
13-7

Analysis: The Peach Belt Conference regular season title race has basically been a battle between two teams USC Aiken (23-2 overall, 17-1 PBC) and Augusta State (21-4, 16-2) all season long. And they could be the lone representatives from the league in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional unless bubble teams Armstrong Atlantic State (16-9, 10-8) and Georgia College & State University (18-7, 12-6) get hot in the conference tournament, and win the automatic bid from the PBC.