INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The nationally No. 3-ranked Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team was ranked No. 1 in the first NCAA Central Regional Rankings released Wednesday afternoon. The Ichabods are hosting Pittsburg State tonight at 7:30 p.m. and will wrap up the regular season on Saturday hosting Missouri Southern at 1 p.m. playing the MIAA Game of the Week of 38 The Spot.

The Ichabods, who are looking to host the NCAA Central Regional for the second year in a row, are joined by five MIAA schools (Central Missouri, Arkansas-Fort Smith, Missouri Western, Fort Hays State and Rogers State), one Northern Sun schools (St. Cloud State) and three Great American Conference schools (Oklahoma Baptist, Ouachita Baptist and Harding). The winners of each of the three conference tournaments will receive the automatic qualifier for the postseason tournament.

The top eight teams will earn bids for the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament starting Saturday, March 14 with three games at one site. The regional championship game will be played on Tuesday, March 17 with the winners advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight in Pittsburg, Pa., where the national quarterfinals and semifinals will be played. The NCAA Division II National Championship game will be held on April 5 in Indianapolis, Ind. the day before the NCAA Division I National Championship game will take place.
 
                                          NCAA Overall D2     NCAA D2 In Region
1  Washburn              24-1          20-1
2  Oklahoma Baptist      24-2          24-2
3  Central Missouri      20-8          17-6
4  Arkansas-Fort Smith   17-6          17-6
5  St. Cloud State       22-5          22-5
6  Missouri Western      17-10         17-9
7  Ouachita Baptist      17-6          17-6
8  Fort Hays State       15-9          15-9
9  Rogers State          15-9          15-9
10 Harding               17-7          17-7