SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- As March draws nearer, the Summit League regular season schedule intensifies more and more. This week is no different as league-leader Omaha takes to the road for clashes at teams in second and third-place in the Summit standings.

The first of those encounters will be on the Summit League Network and played in Brookings, S.D., where the third-place Jackrabbits await with a perfect 11-0 record at First Bank and Trust Arena this season. Their latest triumph at home was a 112-86 second-half blitzing of a St. Thomas team that sits in front of them in the standings and lies in wait until Saturday when Omaha visits St. Paul.

If SDSU ousts the Mavericks, then the winner of that tilt would take over sole possession of first place. The Jackrabbits wrap up their week with an in-state showdown Sunday afternoon in Vermillion on CBSSN against a South Dakota squad that enters the week riding a three-game winning streak.

Before the Coyotes play host to the Jacks, they'll first try to extend that streak to four with a Thursday matchup against reigning Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week Jamar Brown and Kansas City, who snapped an eight-game skid last Saturday with a win over North Dakota.

Brown was the third different Summit League player to earn that distinction this season, joining North Dakota's Treysen Eaglestaff (Dec. 23) and Issac McBride (Jan. 13).

The Jacks-Coyotes' clash is the second of two CBSSN national broadcasts this week as the Oral Roberts-North Dakota State contest in Fargo Thursday will also air on the network at 8 p.m. CT.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
• Omaha regained sole possession of first place by finishing off a perfect three-game homestand with victories over North Dakota and North Dakota State.
• The Mavericks used a buzzer-beating triple by JJ White to knock off the Fighting Hawks, 80-77. White scored the final 12 points of the game for the home team and finished with 24 points and eight assists.
• White has dished out 30 assists over his last four games and leads all Summit player with 5.2 apg in conference play.
• Tony Osburn was the offensive catalyst against NDSU as the Mavericks finished off a season sweep of the Bison. He scored a season-high 25 points to record his fourth 20-plus point scoring game of the campaign.
• St. Thomas left the weekend with an 8-2 league mark and a second-place spot in the standings after splitting a pair on the road. After falling 102-86 at South Dakota State, the Tommies found the win column in the Mile High City, rallying late for a 79-76 victory over the Pios.
• Senior Drake Dobbs dropped a career-high 23 against the Jackrabbits, then followed that up with 21 at DU to give back-to-back, 20-plus point games for the first time in his career.
• The Jackrabbits stayed within striking distance of the Tommies and 2.5 games of the Mavericks after jolting St. Thomas by 16 at home to improve to 11-0 at First Bank & Trust Arena this season.
• Freshman guard Owen Larson led the way with his first career double-double, going for career-highs in points (22) and rebounds (10).
• The top of the standings could see a shake up or separation this weekend as the Mavericks take to the road for three straight, starting Thursday at SDSU before heading to St. Paul to face the Tommies on Saturday.
• After hosting the Mavericks, the Jacks head to in-state rival South Dakota for a Sunday showdown on CBSSN. The Coyotes have won three straight to move into the top half of the standings in fourth at 6-4.
• Senior transfer Chase Forte continues to pace USD in scoring at 16.2 ppg (sixth; overall). He has upped that to 17.7 ppg in league game, which is fifth among Summit players.
• USD picked up back-to-back road wins last week at Denver and Oral Roberts and open this week with Kansas City, who snapped an eight-game skid with an 80-69 victory over North Dakota.
• The Roos got a pair of dynamic performances from preseason all-league pick Jamar Brown, who averaged 27.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg to earn his first Kwik Star weekly honor of the season.
• UND dropped back-to-back road games are now tied with the Roos in sixth place at 3-8. The Fighting Hawks start a three-game homestand Thursday against Denver and host Oral Roberts on Saturday.
• They split the road trip against those two foes, winning by 25 in the Mile High City before falling by three to the Golden Eagles. Tulane transfer Mier Panoam is scoring at a 17.6 ppg clip in Summit play, which is good for sixth overall.
• DU will look to move out of the bottom of the standings with a pair of tilts in the Peace Garden State, playing at NDSU Saturday after its clash with the Fighting Hawks.
• Freshman Sebastian Akins’ 19 points against St. Thomas were his most against a Summit League foe this season as he returned to the starting lineup. He is leading DU in scoring in league play at 11.7 ppg.
• Preseason Player of the Year Issac McBride averaged 20.0 ppg as the Golden Eagles split a pair of home games last week, defeating Kansas City 73-67 before falling by one to South Dakota, 75-74.
• McBride had 24 against the Coyotes and is leading the scoring race in Summit action at 22.0 ppg. He has eclipsed 20-plus in seven of ORU’s 11 conference games.
• NDSU dropped to fifth in the standings, but are just a half game behind South Dakota for fourth entering the week with a 6-5 league mark.  The Bison improved to 4-2 on the road in conference play and those four wins are tied for the most with Omaha and St. Thomas.
• The Bison return home to face ORU on CBSSN Thursday night. NDSU is just 2-3 in home conference play with the Golden Eagles and Pioneers heading to the Scheels Center this week.
• Jacari White is averaging 20.3 ppg over his last six contests and had 15 in the win over the Roos and 25 in the loss to the Mavericks.

UPCOMING
Date | Stream/TV | Local Time
Thursday, Feb. 13
Kansas City at South Dakota* | MS2/SLN | 7 p.m.
Omaha at SDSU* | SLN | 7 p.m.
Denver at North Dakota* | MS1/SLN | 7 p.m.
Oral Roberts at NDSU* | CBSSN | 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15
Oral Roberts at North Dakota* | MS2/SLN | 1 p.m.
Denver at NDSU* | WDAYX/SLN | 1 p.m.
Omaha at St. Thomas /FOX9+/SLN | 7 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16
SDSU at South Dakota* | CBSSN | 1 p.m.

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

Key: ALT2 (Altitude TV); CBSSN (CBS College Sports Network); FOX9+ (Fox 9 Plus); MS1/MS2 (Midco Sports); SLN (Summit League Network); WDAYX (WDAY Extra)

RESULTS
Thursday, Feb. 6
SDSU 102, St. Thomas 86*
Omaha 80, North Dakota 77*
NDSU 78, Kansas City 72* 
South Dakota 86, Denver 79*

Saturday, Feb. 8
Omaha 85, NDSU 74*
St. Thomas 79, Denver 76*
Kansas City 80, North Dakota 69*
South Dakota 75, Oral Roberts 74*

*Summit League game

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