Week 8 Summit League Match Ups

[NDSUstudent]

Thursday
IUPUI 79 vs Centenary 67
UMKC 49 vs NDSU 87
SUU 68 vs SDSU 74
WIU 46 vs ORU 49

Saturday
IPFW 72 vs Oakland 83
WIU 55 vs Centenary 54
SUU 74 vs NDSU 69
IUPUI 60 vs ORU 71
UMKC 66 vs SDSU 76

Game of the Week: SUU vs SDSU- After being swept SDSU last week, the Rabbits now face two must win games this weekend. For SUU the game would give them a season sweep over SDSU, which could be a crucial tiebreaker down the road. The teams battled into overtime in their last meeting, with SUU defeating SDSU 85-80.

[Hammersmith]

IUPUI takes down Centenary; 79-67.
NDSU blows out UMKC; 97-49.
SDSU holds out to beat SUU; 74-68.
ORU wins a close, low scoring contest over WIU; 49-46.

[Herd]

ORU is struggling big time. I'll take IUPUI on Saturday, mark it down.

[NDSUstudent]

If the season ended today.....

March 7
Game 1: (1) x-North Dakota State (13-2) vs (8) IPFW (5-9), 6:00pm
Game 2: (2) x-Oral Roberts (11-3) vs (7) Western Illinois (6-9), 8:30pm

March 8
Game 3: (4) Southern Utah (7-7) vs (5) South Dakota State (7-8) *, 6:00pm
Game 4: (3) x-Oakland (9-5) vs (6) IUPUI (7-8), 8:30pm

March 9 - Semifinals
Game 5: Game 1 vs Game 3, 6:00pm
Game 6: Game 2 vs Game 4: 8:30pm

March 10 - Finals
Game 7: Game 5 vs Game 6: 7:00pm (ESPN2)

* SDSU receives #7 seed based on a .500 winning percentage vs #3 Oakland (IUPUI has a .000 winning percentage vs OU); both teams had a .000 winning percentage vs #1 NDSU and #2 ORU; SDSU and IUPUI split the head-to-head series 1-1.

x-Clinched berth in the conference tournament


Power Rankings...

1.NDSU- Despite the loss to SUU the Bison still control their own destiny but the team will need to be road warriors to get it done.

2.ORU- The Golden Eagles rebounded with a sweep of WIU and IUPUI after being swept last week. ORU heads to UMKC and SUU next, if the Golden Eagles can win both the conference title will likely decided on the last Saturday of the regular season when NDSU head to Tulsa

3.Oakland- The Golden Grizzlies have all but locked up a three seed in the conference tourney. Big man Keith Benson continues to dominate and there is not doubt this team will be a tough match up for which ever team gets the two seed.

4.SUU- The Thunderbirds have a chance to put a lock on the four spot in the conference tourney with two home games this week. No doubt they have a lot of positive steam after upsetting NDSU.

5.SDSU- The Jacks continue their up and down ways with a sweep at home this week. The Rabbits will now finish their season on the road and that is a place that has been very unfriendly to SDSU.

6.IUPUI- Ron Hunter's team is sitting in decent shape with 7 wins, the Jaguars could lock up a spot in the conference tourney with a solid week at home against IPFW and Oakland.

7.WIU The Leathernecks have been all over the place this season but a half court shot victory against SDSU seems to have given WIU the needed to momentum to make a late season run.

8.IPFW The Mastodons have done enough to just keep their Sioux Falls hopes alive.

9.Centenary The Gentleman continue their slide, losing their last five games. Centenary now faces a must win against UMKC.

10.UMKC With their Sioux Falls hopes now all but shot, all the kangaroos can do now is play the role of spolier.