Bulldog Basketball Squads Move Up One Spot Each In Newest Regional Rankings

Big Rapids, Mich. - Both the Ferris State University men's and women's basketball teams are listed among the top eight schools overall in the newest NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Rankings (games as of Feb. 23).

The Bulldog men's squad is third fourth in the region with the women sixth overall this week. The top eight teams at the end of the year will earn berths into the NCAA Division II Tournament. 

Both Ferris State teams currently sit atop the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division standings as the 2019-20 GLIAC North Division Champions

In this week's men's basketball poll, Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) member Indianapolis is ranked first followed by fellow league representative Bellarmine (Ky.). Meanwhile, FSU is up to third from fourth last week, with Southern Indiana fourth, Truman State (Mo.) fifth, Missouri-St. Louis sixth, Grand Valley State seventh and Michigan Tech eighth. Drury came in ninth with Findlay of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) sitting 10th.

On the women's side, Drury (Mo.) of the GLVC is atop the regional listing followed by Ashland, Grand Valley State, Walsh and Kentucky Wesleyan in the top five. Ferris State checks in now at sixth, up one spot from a week ago, followed by Southern Indiana, Lewis, Lindenwood (Mo.) and Truman State.

The top eight teams at the end of the season will earn berths into the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional with the women's tournament set for March 13-16 and the men's tournament March 14-17 at campus sites to be determined. The winner of all three conference tournaments (GLIAC, GLVC, G-MAC) will earn an automatic bid with the number one team in the region likely to host the Midwest Regional Tournament in March.

The next set of regional rankings will be announced next Wednesday which will be the final set of rankings on March 4. The official selections into the NCAA Division II Tournament will be announced via NCAA.com late Sunday evening, March 8.

Ferris State has made 13 previous NCAA Tournament appearances in men's basketball, including four of the last five seasons to date. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship Game and the Sweet Sixteen of the national tournament four years ago before making another regional semifinal appearance in 2017. Two years ago, the Bulldogs claimed their first national championship while finishing with all-time NCAA best 38-1 overall record after winning the Midwest Regional on their home floor at Jim Wink Arena. FSU narrowly missed returning to the tournament for the fifth consecutive year last season.

Meanwhile, the Bulldog women's squad has made four all-time NCAA Tourney appearances with the last coming in 2011-12 when FSU reached the Midwest Regional semifinals. The Bulldogs also made berths in 1999-00, 2003-04 and 2006-07 when FSU made its deepest run by reaching the regional final and the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

Both teams return home to host Lake Superior State in the regular-season finales on Thursday, Feb. 27, at Jim Wink Arena, with the men opening at 5:30 pm followed by the women at 7:30 pm.

The Bulldog men's squad, which is currently 26-5 overall and 15-4 in the GLIAC, is seeking its 16th all-time conference title and third in the past four years. Meanwhile, the FSU women's team, which is presently 20-7 overall and 14-5 in league action, can claim its third-ever league crown and first since 2012.

Below are the current NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Rankings: