FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team placed fourth in the most recent NCAA Division II Southeast Region rankings.

The top eight teams from each region advance to the NCAA Division II tournament at the end of the season. The Falcons (19-6 overall, 10-4 in Peach Belt Conference) were ranked sixth in the Southeast Region at the end of the regular season last year when they advanced to the Southeast Region semifinals.

The Falcons are one of six teams from the Peach Belt Conference ranked in the top 10 in the Southeast Region. USC-Aiken is ranked third, Montevallo is fourth, Augusta State University is fifth, Georgia College and State University is sixth, Columbus State University is seventh and Clayton State University is 10th.

The top-ranked team in the Southeast Region is Lincoln Memorial University, which is 23-2 overall, followed by King College, which is 21-5 overall.

Montevallo is currently leading the Peach Belt Conference West Division. The top four teams in the West Division advance to the conference tournament in Columbus, Ga. Montevallo is  two games ahead of Georgia College and State and Columbus State with three games to play.

The Falcons host Georgia College and State this weekend, and with a win, they will clinch the top seed in the West Division. Montevallo already holds the tie-breaker over Columbus State after defeating their West Division rival twice this season. Montevallo lost to Georgia College and State on the road earlier this year, but the Falcons were without the services of leading scorer D.J. Rivera in the game.

The Falcons return to action Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3:30 p.m. as they host Georgia College and State in a key Peach Belt Conference West Division matchup.