It was a very strong year for the Summit League, as six teams finished with a winning percentage above .500, and the top four teams finished 12-6 or better in conference play. One team towered over the rest, however, and it wasn’t an unfamiliar face at the top of the conference. The South Dakota State Jackrabbits marched through the Summit League, going 18-0 in conference and 27-4 overall. 

Unlike other tournaments, only the top eight teams in the conference compete in the Summit League tournament. The tournament is set to take place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which may give the Jackrabbits an extra advantage. 

The team to beat is undisputedly South Dakota State. Led by Summit League player of the year Baylor Scheierman – who averaged 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game – the Jackrabbits have yet to be knocked off by a Summit League opponent. They’re the obvious favorite, and it’ll take a massive effort to knock them off. The Jackrabbits should be a popular Cinderella pick should they make the tournament. 

A sleeper pick for the tournament could be reigning Summit League champion Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles, were of course, the belle of the ball in last year’s tournament, and still are led by 2020-21 Summit player of the year Max Abmas. Abmas averaged 22.7 points a game this season, and is more than capable of shooting a team out of the gym when he’s hot. 

The Golden Eagles are just the four seed, but that’s what they were before their sweet sixteen run last year. Oral Roberts has the talent, and the experience to make a run, though they’ll have to do it without forward Kevin Obanor, who was the team’s second leading scorer  last year before transferring to Texas Tech.

Though South Dakota State is the heavy favorite, the deep pool of teams in the Summit League should make for a compelling tournament. It may be the Jackrabbits to lose, but could North Dakota State, UMKC, Oral Roberts or another team potentially flip the script? That remains to be seen starting March 5th.