Welcome to Midwest Mountain! The nine teams have arrived in Sioux Falls and thus their climb to the top of the Summit League begins. In what could be one of the most interesting mid-major tournaments offered in women’s college basketball, multiple teams have what it takes to contend for the potential single bid to March Madness awarded to the winner of the conference. Let’s establish the order as the ascent to the peak gets underway.
Peak of the Summit (Favorite)
Historically speaking, three teams have separated themselves from the pack when looking back on the 32-year span of the Summit League women’s basketball tournament. South Dakota State, Oral Roberts and South Dakota account for all 20 of the conference championships won by current members of the Summit League. While the Coyotes and the Golden Eagles have struggled in recent seasons to maintain success, the Jackrabbits have withstood the test of time.
South Dakota State has continued its reign of terror from the peak of the mountain, having not lost a conference game since Jan. 8, 2022. Led by six All-Summit League players, and seven-time All-Summit League Coach of the Year Aaron Johnston, the Jackrabbits are on course to go for three-straight titles in the conference tournament. Simply put, they are the real deal, and the nation believes in them too. The team is the only mid-major to be ranked in the AP Poll, holding steady at No. 25.
Steady and Climbing (Dark Horses)
While history has shown that conference control runs through Brookings, South Dakota, challengers lie in wait ready to knock the Jackrabbits off the top spot. Namely being, Oral Roberts and North Dakota State.
The Golden Eagles 2024-25 season has been interesting, to say the least. With the tandem of All-Summit League players Taleyah Jones and Jalei Oglesby leading the way, Oral Roberts finished conference play 12-4. The conference leader in points averaged per game beat all teams in the conference at least once save for the aforementioned South Dakota State. However, it wasn’t an easy job for the Jackrabbits. In their Jan. 2 matchup, Jones dropped 28 points and led Oral Roberts to outscore its opponents in the final quarter. Who’s to say Oral Roberts couldn’t outpace South Dakota State in a third meeting?
North Dakota State sits on the regular season podium in third, having finished 11-5 in conference play thanks to its own pair of All-Summit League players, Avery Koenen and Abbie Draper. Whilst the Bison don’t have the same power as the two teams above them, what they do have is the second-leading defense in the conference with their opponents only averaging 64.6 points per game. With that defense, the Bison held the Jackrabbits to only 63 points in their Jan. 29 meeting, the lowest points scored by South Dakota State in a conference game. If North Dakota State were to hold down the high-flying offenses of the Summit League, perhaps it will be the one to come out on top.
Looking to Ascend (Potential Cinderellas)
The teams that make up the middle of Midwest Mountain may have just enough to soar to the top. Those teams are St. Thomas, Kansas City and North Dakota.
St. Thomas slotted in at fourth in the Summit League regular season. The Tommies began conference play 0-4, allowing their first four conference opponents to average 74.3 points scored. Despite the poor start, St. Thomas’ greatest weapon shone through in the latter half of the regular season; experience. With 10 upperclassmen on its roster, St. Thomas managed to win eight of its last 12 conference games.
Next is Kansas City, who despite having the second worst overall record on the season at 11-20, finished in fifth in the Summit League thanks to heroics by guards Alayna Contreras and Emani Bennett. The two accounted for the team-high points in 29 of the Roo’s 31 games, and each had multiple nights of 25-plus points as well.
Then comes North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks experienced a six-game losing streak between Jan. 18 and Feb. 12 but rebounded enough to finish sixth in the Summit League. How? Because sophomore forward Kiera Pemberton elevated her game, averaging 21.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in the final five games of the regular season.
Stuck at Base Camp (Longshots)
Omaha’s journey to finishing seventh in the conference was brutal, to say the least. The Mavericks started their season well, finishing 8-5 in their out-of-conference schedule, and even beginning conference play with a five-point victory against North Dakota. Then they experienced the longest losing streak of the season for Summit League teams, dropping nine straight while averaging only 60.4 points per game. Eventually, the program found its legs, winning four of its last six, but the damage was done.
Finishing a similar 5-13 in conference play, South Dakota experienced a similar fate to Omaha. The only difference being that despite the losses, the program got to experience the stellar play of Summit League Player of the Year Grace Larkins. The senior from Iowa put on a show during the regular season, averaging a double-double, leading the conference in multiple categories, and stamping her name in Coyote record books. Without adequate stars to back up Larkins’ play, however, a postseason run seems unlikely.
Denver rounded out the Summit League finishing in ninth. With a record of 9-20, 2-14 in conference play, the Pioneers got trounced by its peers in the regular season. Though junior guard Jordan Jones offered enough to warrant All-Summit League honors, like South Dakota the pieces weren’t there to succeed.
Flag Planter (Tournament Prediction)
With multiple teams vying for what likely will be a single bid to the NCAA Tournament, winning the Summit League conference title is the key to doing so. Every team mentioned has a piece of the proverbial championship-winning formula, but only one seems ready to stand at the peak: South Dakota State. With a growing history of title-winning performances, a stacked roster of talent, and hall-of-fame coaching, the Jackrabbits have all of the tools to plant their flag on top of the mountain and should make the NCAA Tournament for its third season in a row.