South Dakota State looking for a 3-peat in the Summit League
The Jackrabbits are looking for a three-peat in the Summit.
Welcome to the Summit League Tournament! It is one of the better one-bid conference tournaments happening during Championship Week that could give us a potential three-peat champion in South Dakota State. This year’s edition of the Summit League tourney will be held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the Denny Sanford Premier Center with first-round action beginning on Saturday, March 3. The champion will be crowned on Tuesday, March 6 and receive an automatic ticket to the big dance.
The Stakes
The winner of this year’s Summit League tourney could come out of the state of South Dakota. Two-time defending champion, the South Dakota Jackrabbits led by Matt Daum are coming into the tournament riding an eight-game winning streak and the No. 1 seed looking for a three-peat. However, their rival, the South Dakota Coyotes are in prime position to steal a bid from the Jackrabbits.
The Coyotes had a great regular season, finishing with an overall record of 24-7 and 11-3 in conference play. Did I mention they are the No. 2 seed too? We could be in line for an epic championship game.
The Format
The Summit League tournament is single elimination, featuring all eight conference teams. All eight teams begin their road to a title in the quarterfinals, as the winner needs three victories to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
The Bracket & Schedule
Here is the full tournament bracket and day-by-day schedule. Game times are subject to change. We’ll be updating it with results along the way.
Unveiling your official #SummitMBB Tournament bracket, complete with game times and broadcast information. #March2TheSummit with the tournament app at https://t.co/U09F6Y9ASi pic.twitter.com/4fGztT13pu
— Summit Hoops (@summithoops) February 25, 2018
Saturday, March 3 — Quarterfinals
Game 1: No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Western Illinois, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Game 2: No. 2 South Dakota vs. No. 7 Omaha, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Sunday, March 4 — Quarterfinals
Game 3: No. 4 Fort Wayne vs. No. 5 North Dakota State, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Game 4: No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Oral Roberts, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Monday, March 5 — Semifinals
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 3, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Game 6: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 4, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Tuesday, March 6 — Championship Game
Game 7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2