INDIANAPOLIS --- The Tusculum College men's basketball team is listed seventh in this week's NCAA Division II Southeast Region rankings announced officials Wednesday. The Pioneers (18-8, 10-5 SAC) are one of four South Atlantic Conference teams listed in this week's rankings.

Tusculum has won 10 of its last 12 games entering Wednesday's regular-season finale against Mars Hill College.

Augusta State, last year's national runner-up, is once again the top-ranked team in the region. The top five remains the same for this week's rankings with USC Aiken at No. 2, followed by Armstrong Atlantic, Georgia College & State and Barton. Lenoir-Rhyne made the biggest jump, moving four spots up to sixth. Tusculum is down one to No. 7, while Mount Olive climbs a spot to eighth. Newberry and Catawba are ninth and 10th respectively in this week's rankings.

Three automatic berths to the NCAA Tournament will be awarded Sunday, March 8th to the tournament champions of the SAC, Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas. Five at-large berths will also be awarded for the Southeast Regional.

- NCAA -

NCAA II Southeast Men's Basketball Region Rankings
Rk. Team Prv.
1 Augusta State 1
2 USC Aiken 2
3 Armstrong Atlantic 3
4 Georgia College 4
5 Barton 5
6 Lenoir-Rhyne 10
7 TUSCULUM 6
8 Mount Olive 9
9 Newberry 7
10 Catawba 8

Tusculum Opponents in Italics