Discover Summit League: A Rising Star in College Basketball

The Summit League might not get the hype that the Power 5 conferences do in college basketball, but honestly, it’s a league worth keeping an eye on as March Madness approaches. This mid-major conference, mostly tucked in the Midwest, has nine scrappy teams ready to go all out in their conference tournaments.

Standout players? Check. Unpredictable matchups? Absolutely. The Summit League just has a knack for drama and surprises, which makes it a fun ride for college basketball fans. Let’s dig into the teams, players, and games you’ll want to watch as the 2026-2027 season heats up.

Understanding the Summit League

The Summit League started back in 1982, though it’s changed a lot since then. The original member schools are mostly gone, replaced by a new lineup that feels pretty different from the early days.

Right now, there are nine teams in the league. That’ll drop to eight when Denver heads to the West Coast Conference for the 2026-2027 season. Even with the shifting membership, the league stays competitive and keeps delivering some wild basketball moments.

Conference Tournament Structure

Every team in the Summit League gets a shot in the conference basketball tournaments. The action kicks off with the 8- and 9-seeds squaring off in a play-in game to trim the field to eight.

The winner of that first game faces the top seed next. The rest of the bracket goes the usual way: No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5. Whoever survives the bracket chaos grabs an automatic NCAA Tournament bid—usually the only ticket Summit League teams get into March Madness.

Men’s Summit League: Key Teams and Players

The men’s tournament bracket is already set. Oral Roberts (8-seed) will face Kansas City (9-seed) in the opening round, and the winner heads straight into a matchup with top-seeded North Dakota State.

Other matchups to note: St. Thomas (2-seed) vs. North Dakota State (7-seed), South Dakota (4-seed) vs. Omaha (5-seed), and North Dakota (3-seed) vs. Denver (6-seed).

Top Teams

North Dakota State really stood out this season, finishing conference play at 14-2. Still, they’re not untouchable—they’ve dropped games to both Denver and St. Thomas.

St. Thomas, the regular season runner-up, has a pretty fierce offense. They’re 106th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) and 104th in Wins Above Bubble (WAB), which isn’t bad at all for a mid-major.

Key Players

• Carson Johnson, Denver: He leads the league in points per game with 20.2.
• Cameron Fens, South Dakota: He’s the top rebounder (8.6 per game) and shot-blocker (1.5 per game).
• Andy Stefonowicz, North Dakota State: Dishes out a league-best 4.8 assists per game.
• Eli King, North Dakota: He’s the steals leader at 2.2 per game.

With all this talent, it feels like anybody could pull off an upset. The tournament’s wide open, which is part of the fun.

Women’s Summit League: Dominant Teams and Star Players

The women’s tournament should be a blast, too. Omaha (8-seed) matches up with North Dakota (9-seed) to start things off, while South Dakota (2-seed) plays Kansas City (7-seed).

North Dakota State (1-seed) will face the winner of Omaha-North Dakota. The other games: Oral Roberts (4-seed) vs. St. Thomas (5-seed), and South Dakota (3-seed) vs. Denver (6-seed).

Top Teams

The women’s side is a little different from the men’s. South Dakota State and North Dakota State both look like legit tournament teams, and they’re both ranked in the top 50 for NET and WAB.

South Dakota State, led by senior forward Brooklyn Meyer, has been especially good—finishing at 24-6 this year.

Key Players

• Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State: She’s putting up 22.1 points per game and has a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 46.0, which is second-best in Division I.
• Avril Smith, Omaha: She’s grabbing 11.5 rebounds per game and blocking 2.2 shots a night.
• Jade Hood, St. Thomas / Mackenzie Hughes, North Dakota: Both average 3.5 assists per game, leading the league.
• Alyssa Sand, St. Thomas: She’s the steals leader at 2.3 per game.

Brooklyn Meyer and North Dakota State’s junior forward Avery Koenen can really tilt a game. Meyer leads in scoring and shooting percentage, while Koenen’s a force on both ends of the court. Their play could decide how this tournament shakes out.

What to Watch For

The Summit League brings its own flavor to college basketball. It’s got competitive teams, standout players, and matchups you can’t always predict.

As March Madness gets closer, the league ramps up the drama and excitement. Whether you’re into the men’s or women’s tournament, there’s always a chance for a wild upset or a game that keeps you glued to the screen.

If you want more in-depth analysis or just feel curious, check out the full article on the Summit League at Fox Sports.