INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The No. 17 Black Hills State University men's basketball team appeared in the first release of the NCAA's regional rankings on Wednesday afternoon as one of ten teams under consideration in the South Central Region. The regional rankings used to determine the eight selected to the South Central Region of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament listed teams in alphabetical order during the initial release and will then rank teams 1-10 the next two weeks. The Yellow Jackets look to end a two year hiatus from the NCAA Tournament and make a return trip for the first time since back-to-back seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

The Yellow Jackets are one of three teams from the RMAC to appear in the initial release of the South Central Region teams, alongside of Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis. The other league represented in the region, the Lone Star Conference, claims the other seven representatives in the first release as Dallas Baptist, Eastern New Mexico, Lubbock Christian, St. Edward's, St. Mary's, West Texas A&M, and Western New Mexico are also under consideration.

Black Hills State is on the road for a pair of games this weekend as they travel to Adams State for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off on Thursday, February 19, in Plachy Hall in Alamosa, Colorado, and then are at New Mexico Highlands for a 3 p.m. contest in the John A. Wilson Complex in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Saturday, February 21. Both games will be streamed live on the RMAC Network and will be available on KDSJ Radio.

The NCAA will release two more regional polls on Wednesday, February 25, and Wednesday, March 4, while the selection show announcing the official bracket will take place on Sunday, March 8.

The first round of the South Central Region Tournament will take place on Saturday, March 14, the regional semifinals will be Sunday, March 15, and the regional championship will be Tuesday, March 17. All games in the regional tournament will be hosted by the top seed in the region.