SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the third straight year, South Dakota State ran the table in the regular season to earn the No. 1 seed at the Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship for the fifth straight season. The Jackrabbits, who have now reeled off 63 consecutive victories in regular season play dating back to the 2021-22 season, have won the past two tournament titles and 11 overall since 2008-09.
 
The quest by all nine teams for a postseason trophy and berth to the NCAA Tournament starts Wednesday, March 5 with first-round action at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
The Jackrabbits (26-3, 16-0 SL) secured the top seed after capturing sole possession of their fifth consecutive regular season crown, achieving that with an 80-60 win at Kansas City on Feb. 22. This marks the fourth time South Dakota State finished a regular season unbeaten since joining the Summit League and is just the sixth time it has been accomplished in conference history.
 
With the top seed, SDSU garnered a first-round bye and will face the winner of the No. 8 Omaha (13-16, 5-11 SL) and No. 9 Denver (9-20, 2-14) matchup in Thursday’s second quarterfinal, which will start 25 minutes after the opening quarterfinal concludes. The Mavericks and Pioneers open the tournament Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

The opening quarterfinal tips at 12 p.m. CT and features No. 2 Oral Roberts (22-7, 12-4 SL) and No. 7 South Dakota (11-19, 5-11 SL). The Golden Eagles, who own the second most postseason titles among current members with five, finished second in the regular season with a 13-3 record, marking the ORU’s best finish since the 2011-12 campaign.

The Coyotes, who held a tiebreaker over the eighth-seeded Mavericks thanks to a 1-1 record against the fourth-seeded Tommies during the regular season, are next on the list with four titles, including three straight from 2020-22. The remaining six participants have yet to win a postseason title in the history of their respective programs.
 
North Dakota State (18-10, 10-5 SL) earned the No. 3 seed and has finished among the top three in each of the past three seasons. The Bison will play in Friday’s second quarterfinal, which starts 25 minutes after the first one concludes, and take on No. 6 seed Kansas City (10-21, 6-10 SL). NDSU made last season’s title game for the first time in program history, while the Roos last made a title game in 2012.
 
No. 4 St. Thomas (17-12, 9-7 SL) faces No. 5 North Dakota (11-18, 6-10 SL) in Friday's opening quarterfinal at 12 p.m. CT. The Tommies, who own their highest seed since joining the conference four seasons ago, face a Fighting Hawk team that earned the tiebreaker with Kansas City after finishing of a season sweep of the Roos Saturday.

Saturday’s semifinals begin with the winner of Thursday’s second quarterfinal (SDSU/G1 winner) facing the winner of the St. Thomas-North Dakota clash at 12 p.m. CT and will be followed up by the winner of Thursday’s opening quarterfinal between ORU-South Dakota playing the NDSU-Kansas City winner 25 minutes after the conclusion.
 
The first-round game, all four quarterfinals and the two semifinals will be televised on Midco Sports and be streamed on the Summit League Network powered by the Midco Sports Plus app.
 
Sunday’s championship game set for 3 p.m. CT and will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
 
For complete information on this year's tournament, visit The Summit League's Women’s Basketball Championship website.
 
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