PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- With IU Kokomo falling to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Tuesday, Shawnee State men's basketball clinched its first River States Conference regular-season title in program history.

Along with its first regular-season crown, the Bears secured home-court advantage throughout the River States Conference Tournament and an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

Shawnee State men's basketball head coach Fred Lymas praised his team's resilience and balanced play this season.

"This team has battled through adversity in every conference game this season," Lymas said. "We've been unselfish on offense, with seven players averaging 10 points or more, and our defense, led by Coach Bryce Beavers, ranks in the top 25 nationally in points allowed."

The top eight teams in the River States Conference regular-season standings (four from each division) advance to the conference tournament, with the higher-seeded teams hosting each game.

The tournament begins with the quarterfinals on Feb. 25, followed by semifinals on Feb. 28 and the championship on March 3.

"I want to thank Gerald Cadogan for this opportunity -- winning the program's first regular-season title in my first year means a lot, and I'm grateful for the hard work and trust of these players every day," Lymas said. "We've been motivated all year to change the narrative and prove the doubters wrong -- I love this team, and we're not done yet."

With three regular-season games remaining, Shawnee State will host Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Saturday, Feb. 14, before hitting the road for games at Kentucky Christian Feb. 17 and Midway Feb. 21.