FULL RANKINGS

The NCAA released the first set of regional rankings today and the Benedictine University men's basketball team is sitting third in the Central Region.

Benedictine is in the midst of an eight-game win streak heading into tonight's contest at MSOE. The team sits 18-3 with a 14-2 record in the NACC, tied atop the conference standings with Wisconsin Lutheran, who visits Benedictine on February 18 for a contest that could determine the conference champion.

Ranked 24th in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, Benedictine owns three wins over regionally ranked teams including two over teams that are ranked ahead of them in the D3hoops.com poll but behind Benedictine in the regional rankings (St. Norbert and North Central). Defense has been a big key to success and Benedictine's return to the national scene. The team ranks 15th in the nation in points allowed per game at just 64.3. Benedictine also ranks 36th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 40.5. On the offensive side, Benedictine owns the 30th best assist-turnover ratio and the 32nd best assists per game total. After leading the nation in field goal percentage a season ago, Eric Grygo, who recently scored his 1,000th career point, sits fifth this year.

Two more sets of rankings will be released publicly taking into account the results of each week before the selection committee meets and sees a final set which will not be released until after the tournament field has been announced.

The rankings are utilized to determine the field, matchups and hosts for the NCAA Tournament. The entries into the tournament will be released on March 2, following three more sets of rankings.