FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo will play host to the top eight NCAA Division II men’s basketball teams in the Southeast in the Southeast Region tournament March 10-13 at BankTrust Arena.

The field features three nationally-ranked teams along with three conference tournament champions and three regular-season conference champions. The teams will battle Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday for a trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Highland Heights, Ky.

Montevallo heads into the tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Falcons are ranked No. 22 in the nation. The region tournament will be the Falcons’ third time as regional hosts and seventh trip to the NCAA Division II tournament as they try and capture their third trip to the Elite Eight under head coach Danny Young.

The Falcons boast a 24-7 record and have the only first team All-Region selection in the field in the form of senior gaurd D.J. Rivera. The Falcons are outscoring their opponents by more than 10 points a game and rank among the top teams in NCAA Division II in rebounding margin at plus 10.2.

Rivera leads the team with 21.7 points per game and 2.5 steals per game. Senior Antoine Davis, who suffered an early season injury has returned to form, is averaging 13.5 points per game and a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game. He was recently named the Peach Belt Conference tournament MVP and was also named the PBC Defensive Player of the Year. Rivera was named first team All-PBC, first team All-Region and was selected to the PBC All-Tournament team.

The Falcons will host Barton College, the tournament’s No. 8 seed, in the quarterfinals March 10 at 6 p.m.