Everyone is down to their last game or two as the conference schedule rounds itself out. Here is a look at where our voters have each team going into the last week:
1. South Dakota State (80 points)
The Jackrabbits beat Denver on Thursday and Omaha on Saturday to remain undefeated both at home and overall in Summit League play. SDSU will hit the road to close out the schedule, traveling to Kansas City and Oral Roberts this weekend.
2. North Dakota (72 points)
The second of our unanimous votes, the Fighting Hawks find themselves in our second slot. They are also on the road at St. Thomas and Western Illinois this weekend, looking to separate themselves from the tie for second place.
3. North Dakota State (64 points)
Also unanimous, our third-place team is NDSU. The Bison are tied for second in the league with UND, and will face the same road trip this weekend.
4. Oral Roberts (56 points)
After a hard-fought but disappointing 0-2 weekend, the Golden Eagles take our fourth position. Tied for fourth in the league with South Dakota, ORU will make one last effort to move up one spot before Sioux Falls. It could not have been planned any better, as ORU hosts the South Dakota schools this weekend, needing a win over USD.
5. South Dakota (48 points)
Unanimous again was USD, ending up in fifth place. Tied with ORU, it needs a win on Thursday to create some space in the standings and avoid a rulebook tiebreaker before Sioux Falls. After Tulsa, USD will face Kansas City on the road.
6. Denver (40 points)
Also unanimous is Denver in our sixth spot. A much needed win came for the Pioneers over USD on Saturday. DU will gear up and travel to Omaha to close out the season on Saturday, the team it holds a one-game lead over. A loss would create another tie in the standings, forcing a rulebook tiebreaker, as this is the last game for both DU and Omaha.
7. Omaha (29 points)
Omaha is in our seventh spot, mere points ahead of St. Thomas. The Mavericks host Denver on Saturday.
8. St. Thomas (27 points)
St. Thomas is looking for two wins and an Omaha loss. This would propel St. Thomas to the 7-seed, avoiding SDSU until the potential championship matchup. Seventh is as high as St. Thomas can get in the standings. Should Denver lose (and St. Thomas win out), the Tommies would be stuck with the 8-seed, tied with Omaha, having lost both games against the Mavericks this season. The Tommies host UND and NDSU this weekend.
9. Western Illinois (16 points)
The Leathernecks find themselves in our ninth spot. The 8-seed is the highest WIU can go. Even if it wins out and St. Thomas loses out, creating a 7-11 tie (WIU; Omaha) in the seventh spot, Omaha defeated WIU in both meetings this season, winning the hypothetical tiebreaker. WIU can jump St. Thomas in the standings if the Tommies lost two this weekend and WIU win two. The Leathernecks host the North Dakota Schools this weekend.
10. Kansas City (10 points)
In last place is Kansas City. The Roos battled in a great showing against North Dakota State on Thursday, but could not quite pull it off. The Roos could end up tied with WIU as a result of two KC wins and two WIU losses, but WIU owns both meetings between the two this season, breaking the hypothetical tiebreaker. St. Thomas is also two and a half games up on the Roos, effectively locking Kansas City into the 10-seed.