INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The No. 17-ranked Valdosta State men's basketball team learned Sunday night it earned a No. 4-seed in the NCAA South Regional, beginning Saturday, Mar. 13 at The Complex at Valdosta State University. VSU will battle No. 5-seed West Georgia out of the Gulf South Conference for its fifth matchup of the season. This marks the 13th time in program history the Blazers have qualified for the NCAA postseason and fifth-straight season.
 
The Blazers, who have won five-straight Gulf South Conference regular season titles, claimed its first GSC Conference Tournament Title in program history after earning revenge versus Alabama Huntsville 75-70. VSU is 17-4 on the year and senior Burke Putnam earned GSC Most Outstanding Player following the championship game. Senior Imoras Agee and junior Jacolbey Owens were named to the GSC All-Tournament Team. Agee and Putnam were first team all-conference selections where redshirt junior Cam Hamilton earned second team honors.
 
Earning the top seed for the region for its first ever tournament bid is Flagler College, who won 73-60 over No. 6-seed Georgia Southwestern in the Peach Belt Conference Championship Sunday. The Saints are 15-2 on the year and went 11-1 in the PBC. Flagler College had been the top team in the public NCAA South Region rankings leading up to the selection show.
 
Flagler earns a first-round bye and will face the winner of No. 4-seed Valdosta State versus No. 5-seed West Georgia, while Alabama Huntsville earned the No. 2-seed and will also receive a first-round bye. Alabama Huntsville will face the winner of No. 3-seed Lee out of the Gulf South Conference versus No. 6-seed Georgia Southwestern out of the Peach Belt Conference.
 
The Wolves went 13-7 overall and 12-6 in the GSC this season. UWG got bounced in the GSC semifinals against Valdosta State 99-89, ending its 10-game win streak. What marks the fifth matchup this season between the two teams, the Blazers hold the edge where its 3-1 against the Wolves with its sole loss coming Jan. 29 87-79. The Wolves leading scorer Michael Zabetakis was named to the GSC All-Tournament Team after he recorded 42 total points and 13 total rebounds during the first two rounds of the GSC tournament. Zabetakis also earned first team all-conference. The Wolves are coached by GSC East Division Co-Coach of the Year Dave Moore as this is his third season at the helm of the program.  
 
The 2021 South Regional Championship will begin Saturday Mar. 13, with two games, followed by two regional semifinals on Sunday and the regional championship is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 16. The winner of the regional will advance to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind., Mar. 24-27.
 
The Blazers are 8-11 in the NCAA Championship and qualified for the Elite Eight in 2010, losing to Indiana (Pa.) in the national quarterfinal round. The Blazers have qualified for the postseason seven times under current head coach Mike Helfer, including the 2010 run to the Elite Eight.
 
Audio for the Blazer men's basketball game can be found on 92.1 WDDQ FM locally and online at talk921.com with Mike Chason having the call. Live stats and live streams of the NCAA Regional can be found on NCAA.com or by going to vstateblazers.com on the men's basketball schedule page. Check back with vstateblazers.com for game times and further information on the regional throughout the week leading up to Saturday's tipoff.