Unveiling the Path to Glory: Summit League Semifinals Showdown
Decoding the Tournament's Blueprint: Format and Venue
The Summit League Men's Basketball Tournament employs a bracket format featuring split quarterfinal doubleheaders. This arrangement grants the top two seeded teams a day of rest before their semifinal clashes, provided they secure victories in their initial matches. Since 2009, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been the consistent host city for this prestigious event. Initially held at Sioux Falls Arena until 2015, the tournament subsequently moved to the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The sole exception was the 2021 edition, which, due to COVID-19 restrictions, took place without spectators at the Sanford Pentagon.
Contenders for the Crown: Participating Teams Overview
All nine member teams are slated to compete in Sioux Falls, with each team eligible for both the NCAA and NIT tournaments. This eligibility includes St. Thomas, which successfully fast-tracked its reclassification process to conclude by the end of the 2024-25 academic year. Notably, this tournament marks the final appearance for Denver as a Summit League member, as the Pioneers are set to transition to the WCC for the 2026-27 season.
Navigating the Road to the Championship: Tournament Schedule Highlights
For a detailed breakdown of the tournament matchups, a downloadable PDF bracket is available. Fans can catch all games leading up to the semifinals on Midco Sports, with streaming options also accessible via the Summit League Network. The tournament commenced with the First Round on Wednesday, March 4th, where (8) Oral Roberts triumphed over (9) Kansas City with a score of 84-62. The Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5th, saw (1) North Dakota State defeat (8) Oral Roberts 76-65, and (2) St. Thomas overcome (7) South Dakota State 80-67. The subsequent Quarterfinals on Friday, March 6th, featured (5) Omaha besting (4) South Dakota 76-62, and (3) North Dakota defeating (6) Denver 83-67. The Semifinals on Saturday, March 7th, will be broadcast on CBSSN, featuring (5) Omaha against (1) North Dakota State at 8 PM, and (3) North Dakota facing (2) St. Thomas at 10:30 PM. The Championship game, pitting the semifinal winners against each other, is scheduled for Sunday, March 8th, at 9 PM on CBSSN.
Unpredictable Outcomes: Potential for Tournament Surprises
Historical data from 2011 onward reveals that a top-two seed from the Summit League has clinched the automatic bid in 12 instances, with the No. 1 seed securing nine of those titles, including the last four. This trend bodes well for North Dakota State. However, the tournament has also witnessed victories from lower seeds, with the 4th seed claiming the title three times (2017, 2019, 2021).
Conference Performance in the Big Dance: NCAA Seeding Record
In the 68-team era of the NCAA Tournament, the Summit League has seen its representatives seeded as high as 12th (four times, with one win in 2014) and as low as 16th (twice, with one First Four win in 2019). Notably, the conference has celebrated NCAA victories from the 12th, 15th, and 16th seed positions. The 2025 season marked a shift, with Omaha earning the conference's second consecutive 15th seed. St. Thomas and North Dakota State, currently ranked 104th and 117th in the NET respectively, offer the strongest prospects for the conference to avoid a 15th or 16th seed, as other teams fall outside the NET Top 200.
Historical Milestones: Recent NCAA Tournament Appearances
Recent NCAA Tournament appearances include Omaha in 2025 (15 seed, 1st Round), South Dakota State in 2024 (15 seed, 1st Round), Oral Roberts in 2023 (12 seed, 1st Round), North Dakota State in 2019 (16 seed, 1st Round), and North Dakota in 2017 (15 seed, 1st Round, as a Big Sky member). In 2021, Oral Roberts broke a nine-year streak where either NDSU or SDSU dominated the Summit League Tournament. Historically, Oral Roberts (2008, 2021, 2023) has been one of the few current Summit League members, besides NDSU and SDSU, to represent the conference in the field of 68. Denver, Kansas City, newly-eligible St. Thomas, and South Dakota are all still seeking their inaugural D1 NCAA Tournament bids.