SAVANNAH, Ga. () — The Savannah State men’s basketball team learned its first-round opponent for the 2025 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship on March 9.

The reigning SIAC Champions earned the No. 8 seed in the South Regional. They will play the No. 1 seed, Nova Southeastern, on March 15 at 5 p.m. Nova Southeastern, ranked No. 2 in the Division II poll, will host the entire eight-team regional on its campus in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Nova Southeastern enters the tournament at 30-1. They went 19-1 in the Sunshine State Conference. The Sharks won the regular season and tournament championship for the conference.

Savannah State arrives in the Division II tournament after making a Cinderella run through the SIAC Tournament. Savannah State was the fourth seed from the East Division. They defeated Kentucky State in the opening round in a home matchup. Then in the quarterfinals, they knocked off the top seed from the West, Miles College. In the semifinals, they pulled another upset against the No. 3 seed from the West, Central State. In the championship, they defeated the No. 2 seed from the West, Tuskegee.

The other teams in the regional include Valdosta State, Lynn, Alabama-Huntsville, Tampa, Florida Southern and Montevallo.

The regional will take place over four days, March 15-18. The eight teams will play single-elimination until the top team emerges on March 18. The winner of the South Regional advances to the Elite Eight in Evansville, which begins March 25.

Men’s NCAA Division II bracket was released at 11 p.m. on March 9.