The road to the NCAA Basketball Tournament once again runs through Sioux Falls.

 

For the first time in a handful of years, the Summit League men's tournament is wide open. After back to back years where a team was unbeaten in the regular season, South Dakota State won the league this year losing four times.

 

North Dakota State enters with its lowest seed in six years, the Bison are seeded fifth after losing their final two games of the regular season. NDSU will face St. Thomas Sunday at 6 p.m. The Bison split the season series with the Tommies, including a 64-50 win in Fargo on February 22.

 

North Dakota comes to Sioux Falls with the highest seed the Fighting Hawks have ever earned as a member of the Summit League. UND finished third and will take on Omaha Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. Paul Sather's team swept the season series from the Mavericks.

 

The women's side sees SDSU return as the top seed after a second consecutive unbeaten season. Aaron Johnston's team has been beset by injuries, but yet the Jacks finished 16-0 in league play.

 

Jory Collins team comes to Sioux Falls as the second seed for the second straight year. It was a disappointment last year as the Bison lost in the opening round to seventh-seeded Kansas City in the opening round.

 

This year's Bison are led by all-Summit first-team member Elle Evans, who was also selected to the defensive team. NDSU has earned the most wins in the Division I era and seems primed for a run to Tuesday's championship.

 

The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo offer their thoughts on the tournament and what to expect over the next few days.