BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji State men’s hockey team will enter the NCAA Tournament ranked among the top 15 teams in the country in both national polls.
The Beavers are ranked No. 14 in this week’s 20-team USCHO.com poll, and No. 15 in the 15-team USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.
In its second consecutive week in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, BSU dropped three spots to No. 15 following a 4-1 loss to Lake Superior State in the WCHA semifinals last Friday. Bemidji State fell one spot to No. 14 in the USCHO poll, which the team has appeared in 11 weeks this season.
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Lake State is ranked No. 13 in both national polls, and will join the Beavers in the NCAA East Regional at Bridgeport, Conn. BSU is the No. 4 seed and will meet No. 1 seed Wisconsin at noon central time Friday, March 26, while the third-seeded Lakers will face second-seeded Massachusetts at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
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The only other WCHA school to be ranked and in the NCAA field is Minnesota State. The Mavericks fell from No. 3 in both rankings to No. 5 in the USCHO poll and No. 6 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. MSU earned a No. 2 seed in the West Regional and will face third-seeded Quinnipiac.
WCHA member Bowling Green is ranked No. 17 in the USCHO poll. The Falcons were not selected to the NCAA Tournament.
North Dakota will enter the NCAA Tournament with the No. 1 overall seed, as well as the top ranking in both national polls.
Bemidji State’s East Regional semifinal against Wisconsin will air on ESPN2 at noon on Friday.
2021 NCAA men's hockey tournament
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Fargo, N.D. (Friday, March 26-Saturday, March 27)
1. North Dakota (21-5-1) vs. 4. American International (15-3-0), 8:30 p.m. Friday (ESPN3)
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2. Michigan (15-10-1) vs. 3. Minnesota Duluth (14-10-2), 3 p.m. Friday (ESPNU)
Saturday's championship, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
EAST REGIONAL
Bridgeport, Conn. (Friday, March 26-Saturday, March 27)
1. Wisconsin (20-9-1) vs. 4. Bemidji State (15-9-3), noon Friday (ESPN2)
2. UMass (16-5-4) vs. 3. Lake Superior State (19-6-3), 5:30 p.m. Friday (ESPNU)
Saturday's championship, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
NORTHEAST REGIONAL
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Albany, N.Y. (Saturday, March 27-Sunday, March 28)
1. Boston College (17-5-1) vs. 4. Notre Dame (14-13-2), noon Saturday (ESPNEWS)
2. St. Cloud State (17-10-0) vs. 3. Boston University (10-4-1), 5:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPNEWS)
Sunday's championship, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
WEST REGIONAL
Loveland, Colo. (Saturday, March 27-Sunday, March 28)
1. Minnesota (23-6-0) vs. 4. Nebraska Omaha (14-10-1), 9 p.m. Saturday (ESPNU)
2. MSU-Mankato (20-4-1) vs. 3. Quinnipiac (17-7-4), 4 p.m. Saturday (ESPN3)
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Sunday's championship, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
