SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The wait is over. Summit League play is upon us and opening night features a quartet of intriguing matchups to get things underway.

Three of those tilts are rematches from the 2024 Championship, including the title game as South Dakota State hosts Denver Thursday in a game that will air nationally on CBSSN. The top-seeded Jackrabbits held off a late charge by the upset-minded and seventh-seeded Pioneers, who were led by Tommy Bruner. He finished runner-up in the national scoring chase a season ago at 24.0 ppg.

These two teams look a lot different in 2024-25 with the Jackrabbits being led by Washington State transfer Oscar Cluff (16.9 ppg and 11.2 rpg) and Denver being guided by JUCO transfer Nicholas Shogbonyo (15.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg).

St. Thomas visits North Dakota State and Omaha visits North Dakota in what will be quarterfinal rematches, while preseason favorite Kansas City, who has won four straight, takes on South Dakota in the only non-rematch clash on opening night.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
• SDSU will also begin its regular season title defense against the Pios after winning the league with a 12-4 mark a season ago. The Jackrabbits have won at least a share of six of the past seven regular season titles.
• SDSU’s Oscar Cluff returned to the double-double column with 21 points and 15 rebounds in a 105-82 road loss at (5/6) Alabama. For Cluff, it was his ninth double-double of non-conference play, which ties him for the second most among DI players entering the New Year.
• Denver’s Nicholas Shogbonyo has reached double figures in five straight and leads the team with a 15.1 ppg scoring clip in his first season as a Pio. He has back-to-back 20-point efforts and reached that plateau in four of his last seven.
• The other two opening-night rematches were quarterfinal clashes as St. Thomas visits North Dakota State after defeating the Bison in the 4-5 matchup in Sioux Falls and Omaha visits North Dakota after edging the Fighting Hawks 73-72 in a 3-6 matchup.
• NDSU and St. Thomas were the only Summit League teams to post double-digit wins in non-conference play.
• The Bison finished their non-conference run with eight straight victories to post a league-best 11-4 mark, while the Tommies won six of their last seven entering Summit play.  
• NDSU forward Jacksen Moni earned three of the league’s four weekly honors in December after averaging 22.3 ppg during a 6-0 month for the Bison. The Fargo native went 16-for-32 from 3-point range and also averaged 4.0 apg.  
• North Dakota’s Treysen Eaglestaff earned Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week accolades following his 40-point peformance in a 97-90 loss to (6/7) Alabama. Eaglestaff’s 40 points were a career-high and he brings a league-best 20.1 ppg average into Summit action.
• The Mavericks enter Summit play coming off back-to-back wins where leading scorer Marquel Sutton delivered a pair of 20-point performances. Sutton ranks seventh among league players in socring (16.1 ppg) and second in rebounding (7.4 rpg).  
• The only opening-night clash that is not a rematch pits preseason favorite Kansas City hosting South Dakota. The Roos bring a four-game winning streak into Summit play and are back over the .500 mark at 8-7 for the first time since starting 2-0. 
• KC’s latest triumph was a 73-66 win over East Tennessee State on Dec. 21. Jamar Brown is averaging 19.3 ppg during the Roos’ winning streak.
• South Dakota’s Chase Forte leads USD in scoring at 15.3 ppg and hit 20-plus points in four of six December contests. Sophomore Isaac Bruns is chipping in 13.3 ppg off the bench, which is the most by a Summit reserve.
• Oral Roberts, who wrapped up non-league play Monday with a 92-54 win over Texas A&M-Texarkana, begins their league slate Saturday at Kansas City. 
• ORU sophomore Jackson Skipper scored a career-high 20 points in his first start for the Golden Eagles, including a 6-for-9 effort from long range.

UPCOMING
Date | Stream/TV | Local Time
Thursday, Jan. 2
St. Thomas at NDSU* | WDAYX/SLN | 7 p.m.
South Dakota at Kansas City* | SLN | 7 p.m.
Omaha at North Dakota* | SLN | 7 p.m.
Denver at SDSU* | CBSSN | 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 4
St. Thomas at North Dakota* | SLN | 1 p.m.
Omaha at NDSU* | WDAYX/SLN | 1 p.m.
Oral Roberts at Kansas City* | SLN | 7 p.m.
Denver at South Dakota* | MS/SLN | 7 p.m.

Rankings: (AP/Coaches) | * Summit League game

Key:  ACCN (ACC Network); ALT2 (Altitude); BTN (Big Ten Network); CBSSN (CBS Sports Network); ESPN + (ESPN Plus); FLO (FLO Sports); FOX9 (FOX9 Minnesota); FS2 (Fox Sports); MS (Midco Sports); MWN (Mountain West Network); PEA (Peacock); SECN+ (SEC Network); SLN (Summit League Network)

RESULTS
Monday, Dec. 23
NDSU 94, CSU Bakersfield 60

Saturday, Dec. 28
Omaha 81, Mount Marty 51

Sunday, Dec. 29
North Dakota 97, Waldorf 57
(5/6) Alabama 105, SDSU 82
UC Riverside 81, St. Thomas 79 (OT)

Monday, Dec. 30
Oral Roberts 92, Texas A&M-Texarkana 54

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