SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — It’s time for bonus basketball. For the first time in Summit League history all 10 teams will embark on the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center for the 2023 Men’s Basketball Championship slated to start a day earlier than usual with a pair of first-round games on tap for Friday, March 3.
No. 8 seed Denver and No. 9 seed North Dakota tip things off first in the men’s bracket at 6 p.m. CT with the winner of that tilt moving on to play top-seeded Oral Roberts, who became just the second time in League history to post a perfect 18-0 record. The Golden Eagles also boast the nation’s longest current winning streak at 14 as they look to win the postseason title for the second time in three seasons.
No. 7 seed Kansas City and No. 10 seed Omaha close out the opening round at 8:30 p.m. CT. The winner of that contest getting a chance to unseat the defending tournament champion South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits earned the No. 2 a year after they became the first program to pull off the unbeaten run in League play.
The top two seeds will get their tournament play underway in Saturday’s evening session with Oral Roberts playing at 6 p.m. CT and SDSU to follow at 8:30 p.m. CT
The remaining two quarterfinals are scheduled for Sunday with No. 4 Western Illinois facing No. 5 St. Thomas at 6 p.m. CT in the Tommies’ tournament debut. No. 3 seed North Dakota State open against No. 6 seed South Dakota at 8:30 p.m. CT. The Bison have made four straight appearances in the tournament title game, while the Coyotes have advanced to the semifinals in back-to-back years.
2023 #SUMMITMBB CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, March 3 | First Round
G1: (8) Denver vs. (9) North Dakota (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 6 p.m.
G2: (7) Kansas City vs. (10) Omaha (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 4 | Quarterfinals
G3: Winner G1 vs . (1) Oral Roberts (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 6 p.m.
G4: Winner G2 vs. (2) SDSU (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 5 | Quarterfinals
G5: (4) Western Illinois vs. (5) St. Thomas (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 6 p.m.
G6: (3) NDSU vs. (6) South Dakota (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 8:30 p.m.
Monday, March 6 | Semifinals
G7: Winner G3 vs. Winner G5 (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 6 p.m.
G8: Winner G4 vs. Winner G6 (MS/MS+/ESPN+) | 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7 | Championship
G9: Winner G7 vs. Winner G8 (ESPN2) | 8 p.m.
Key: ESPN+, ESPN2, MS (Midco Sports), MS+ (Midco Sports Plus)
REWIND TO 2022 #SUMMITMBB CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, March 4 | Quarterfinals
G1: (1) SDSU 87, (8) Omaha 79
G2: (2) NDSU 82, (7) Denver 62
Sunday, March 5 | Quarterfinals
G3: (5) South Dakota 74, (4) Kansas City 61
G4: (3) Oral Roberts 80, (6) Western Illinois 68
Monday, March 6 | Semifinals
G5: (1) SDSU 83, (5) South Dakota 60
G6: (2) NDSU 92, (3) Oral Roberts 72
Tuesday, March 7 | Championship
G7: (1) SDSU 75, (2) NDSU 69
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NO. 1 SEED ORAL ROBERTS GOLDEN EAGLES (27-4; 18-0 SL) | @ORUMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 8 seed Denver/No. 9 seed North Dakota winner (3/4; 6 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: at South Dakota* (W, 82-70); at SDSU* (W, 69-65)
Championship History: 26-18 (23rd appearance)
Championship Titles: 4 (2006, 2007, 2008)
The Golden Eagles will await the winner of the Denver-North Dakota game … ORU beat the Pioneers by an average of 29.5 ppg and the Fighting Hawks by an average of 7.5 ppg in four regular season matchups with those two … ORU capped off a perfect 18-0 run through League play with a 69-65 win at South Dakota State last Saturday, snapping a 20-game conference home winning streak for the Jacks at Frost Arena … The Golden Eagles arrive in Sioux Falls with the nation’s longest winning streak at 14 straight and tied for the most road wins in Division I (11) … Two-time Summit League Player of the Year Max Abmas is averaging 19.3 ppg in seven career Summit League Tournament games … He earned Championship MVP honors in 2021 at the Pentagon, averaging 21.0 ppg in lifting ORU to its first tournament title since 2008 … The Golden Eagles are the top seed for the first time since winning their last regular season title in 2012.
NO. 2 SEED SOUTH DAKOTA STATE JACKRABBITS (18-12; 13-5 SL) | @GoJacksMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 7 seed Kansas City/No. 10 seed Omaha winner (3/4; 8:30 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: Kansas City* (W, 73-50); Oral Roberts* (L, 69-65)
Championship History: 24-8 (15th appearance)
Championship Titles: 6 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022)
The Jacks swept their two potential quarterfinal-opponents during the regular season as they look to defend their 2022 tournament title … SDSU defeated Kansas City by one on the road and 23 at home and Omaha by an average of 22.0 ppg, including a 91-70 victory on the road Feb. 18 … Sophomore Zeke Mayo chipped in with 10.6 ppg during the Jacks’ run to their sixth overall tournament title a season ago in Sioux Falls … He averaged 21.1 ppg against League foes this season, which was third best and he led all shooters with a 42.4 percent clip from beyond the arc (59-for-139) … Graduate student Matt Dentlinger had a strong finish to the regular season, scoring 23 in a rare home loss to Oral Roberts … He arrives in Sioux Falls averaging 17.9 ppg in his last seven games and shooting 68.4 percent from the field (50-for-73).
NO. 3 SEED NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON (14-16; 11-7 SL) | @NDSUMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 6 seed South Dakota (3/5; 8:30 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: Western Illinois* (2/23; 11 a.m. CT); St. Thomas* (2/25; 1 p.m. CT)
Championship History: 23-9 (15th appearance)
Championship Titles: 4 (2009, 2015, 2019, 2020)
The Bison clinched the No. 3 seed in dramatic fashion when Boden Skunberg hit a buzzer-beater to lift NDSU past a Western Illinois team that was also vying for that same seed in Sioux Falls … Skunberg finished with 24 points to pace an NDSU team that has been a top-four seed and advanced to the title game in the past four Summit League Tournaments … Grant Nelson’s impressive run of seven consecutive double-doubles came to an end vs. the Leathernecks, but he scored 20-plus for the fourth straight time … Nelson, who earned All-League first team honors, averaged 15.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg during NDSU’s run to the 2022 title game … He had 20 in the semifinal victory over Oral Roberts a year ago… The Bison open the 2023 event with a South Dakota team they split with during the regular season (73-61 win at home and 71-62 loss on the road).
NO. 4 SEED WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (16-13; 9-9 SL) | @WIU_MensHoops
Next Up: vs. No. 5 seed St. Thomas (3/5; 6 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: at North Dakota* (W, 81-70); at NDSU* (L, 71-69)
Championship History: 15-32 (33rd appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Leathernecks are the No. 4 seed, which is the program’s highest since being the No. 2 seed in 2013 … The good part about being on the four-line is in the last three odd-numbered Summit League Tournaments (2017, 2019 and 2021), the team from that spot in the bracket has won the whole thing … Senior Trenton Massner earned his third Peak Performer of the Week honor last Monday, which is the most ever in a single by a Leatherneck … The All-League first teamer averaged 29.0 ppg in a road split where scored 34 points on 16-of-24 shooting in a win at UND … He averaged 40.0 ppg in two victories over the Fighting Hawks … Western’s last win in Sioux Falls was in 2019 when it was the first No. 8 seed to knock off a top seed (SDSU; 79-76) … WIU opens this postseason against a UST team it split with in 2022-23 with both teams winning at home.
NO. 5 SEED ST. THOMAS TOMMIES (18-13; 9-9 SL) | @TommieMBBall
Next Up: vs. No. 4 seed Western Illinois (3/5; 6 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: at NDSU* (L, 73-64); at North Dakota* (L, 82-74)
Championship History: 0-0 (1st appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Tommies will be the No. 5 seed for their first pursuit of a Summit League Tournament crown … St. Thomas joins the expanded field after becoming a League member prior to the 2020-21 season … If the Tommies were to win the trophy in Sioux Falls, Oral Roberts would earn the League’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament because the Golden Eagles won the regular season … St. Thomas made a five-game improvement from year one, finishing with nine wins in 2022-23 against League foes … The Tommies split their regular season games against quarterfinal-foe Western Illinois, but took the last matchup by 13 at home on Feb. 18 … Summit League Freshman of the Year Andrew Rohde closed out his regular season with a career-high 27 points and ranks third among Division I rookies in total points (484) and scoring average (16.7 ppg).
NO. 6 SEED SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES (12-18; 7-11 SL) | @SDCoyotesMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 3 seed North Dakota State (3/5; 8:30 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: Oral Roberts* (L, 82-70), Kansas City* (W, 82-48)
Championship History: 6-10 (11th appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Coyotes snapped a five-game losing streak with a 34-point rout of Kansas City in their regular season finale … It was the largest win of head coach Eric Peterson’s first season at USD … Junior Tasos Kamateros equaled his career-high 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor and classmate Kruz Perrott-Hunt added 21 … USD will look to carry that momentum into Sioux Falls where they play NDSU in the final quarterfinal … Kamateros was the team’s leading scorer against the Bison this season, averaging 19.5 ppg, which included 23 in a home win on Feb. 2 … Both players earned All-Summit League honorable mention honors … Kamateros has a trio of double-digit scoring games in Summit League Tournament action, while Perrott-Hunt has reached that plateau in all four his postseason games (14.5 ppg) … USD has advance to the semifinals in each of the past two tournaments.
NO. 7 SEED KANSAS CITY ROOS (11-20, 7-11 SL) | @KCRoosMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 10 seed Omaha (3/3; 8:30 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: at SDSU* (L, 73-50); at South Dakota* (L, 82-48)
Championship History: 5-18 (19th appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Roos’ offense struggled without the services of Shemarri Allen, who missed both games last week after suffering an injury early in the contest with North Dakota (Feb. 18) … Kansas City averaged just 49.0 ppg in road losses at SDSU and South Dakota … Allen is one of the top scorers in the League, averaging 17.8 ppg against conference foes … RayQuawndis Mitchell led the way in scoring with 13 points in each of those contests and brings a 17.4 ppg clip into the postseason … Those two both landed on the All-League second team … The Roos open the 2023 Tournament against an Omaha team they swept during the regular season … Mitchell averaged 19.0 ppg against the Mavericks and had 27 in a 75-59 win in Omaha on New Year’s Eve.
NO. 8 SEED DENVER PIONEERS (15-16; 6-12 SL) | @DU_MensHoops
Next Up: vs. No. 9 seed North Dakota (3/3; 6 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: SDSU* (L, 80-75); South Dakota* (W, 86-68); Omaha* (W, 72-61)
Championship History: 3-7 (8th appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Pioneers bring a two-game winning streak to Sioux Falls after closing out the regular season with an 11-point home win over Omaha … DU opens the 2023 Tournament against a North Dakota squad that the Pios split with during the regular season (W, 78-71 at home and L, 86-63 on road) … Denver is 3-7 all-time in the Summit League Tournament and will look to snap a three-game skid … The Pioneers last win in Sioux Falls was a 90-88 win in double-overtime against Oral Roberts in 2018 … Sophomore Tevin Smith has reached double figures in three straight and closed out the regular season with a team-high 18 points in the victory over the Mavericks … Smith scored 10 points in DU’s quarterfinal-loss to NDSU in last year’s tournament … Point guard Tommy Bruner leads the Pios in scoring in overall (15.8 ppg) and League games (16.2 ppg) and earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.
NO. 9 SEED NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS (12-19; 6-12 SL) | @UNDMBasketball
Next Up: vs. No. 8 seed Denver (3/3; 6 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: Western Illinois* (L, 81-70); St. Thomas* (W, 82-74)
Championship History: 2-3 (4th appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Fighting Hawks have won five of seven entering the 2023 Tournament, which is only bettered by the top two seeds Oral Roberts (7-0) and SDSU (6-1) during that same stretch … UND closed out the regular season with an 82-74 victory over St. Thomas … Junior Tsotne Tsartsidze scored a career-high 20 to pace the Fighting Hawks and has reached double figures in 12 straight (16.4 ppg) … UND missed out on the postseason last year, but returns to Sioux Falls where head coach Paul Sather is 2-2 and led the Fighting Hawks to the 2019 title game … UND faces a Denver squad it split the regular-season series with, falling on the road by seven before winning by 23 at home, which was their largest of six League wins this season.
NO. 10 SEED OMAHA MAVERICKS (8-22; 4-14 SL) | @OmahaMBB
Next Up: vs. No. 7 seed Kansas City (3/3; 8:30 p.m. CT)
Previous Games: South Dakota* (W, 80-72); SDSU* (L, 91-70); at Denver* (L, 72-61)
Championship History: 6-10 (11th appearance)
Championship Titles: 0
The Mavericks open the 2023 Tournament against a Kansas City team they dropped both regular season contests too … Sophomore Marquel Sutton had a team-high 18 in a New Year’s Eve home loss to the Roos and reached double figures seven times against a League foe … Classmate Frankie Fidler arrives in Sioux Falls averaging a team-best 14.6 ppg, including 16.9 ppg over his last 10 contests … He also led the team in scoring as a freshman a season ago … Fidler earned All-League honorable mention honors is averaging 12.5 ppg in four career games against Kansas City … Omaha reached the 2019 Summit League Tournament title game, but has dropped its last three opening-round contests … Fidler scored 34 points in the quarterfinal-loss to top-seeded South Dakota in 2022, which was the second-highest total ever by a freshman.
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