New Conference

With the college basketball season looming it seems only fitting to look into what is going to be different this year. Formerly known as the Mid-Continent Conference, the now Summit League changed its names since its changing some teams. Valparaiso, a power in the Mid-Con is leaving to join the tougher Horizon League. When you lose a school that is tightly associated with the conference it is time to change the name. Valparaiso is most recently known for the tournament upset in 1998 against Mississippi.

Don’t go to sleep on Oral Roberts the team that in the last three years has begun to take Valparaiso’s place. That being said Oral Roberts loses its top two returning scorers from last year. What does this mean? It means that anything can happen in the new look Summit League.

Now the question remains if you lose a team and change your name what’s next. The answer, add three new teams. IPFW, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State join the Summit League this year. North Dakota State and South Dakota State made the transition Division 1 at the same time. However, North Dakota State has had a considerable amount more success than South Dakota State. Last year the North Dakota State Bison compiled a 20-8 record while the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State only compiled a record of 6-24. IPFW rounding out the new faces in the conference went 12-17 last year.

North Dakota State is recently on the move in both football and basketball, both programs moving up a level in recent years. The Bison known more for their football than basketball will look to match the success of the football program that beat Central 44-14 and Minnesota 27-21 this year. Additionally, the Bison toppled Ball State 29-24 last year. All of those were road games. The Bison are 7-0 on the year. The Bison are currently ranked No. 1 in 1-AA (FCS). After this year they will be eligible for the postseason tournament, because they were in previously they were in transition years from Division II (a five year transition process).

And the reason to bring up the football program is because the football and basketball programs share similarities, neither is eligible for the post-season tournament at the end of this year, but next year both look to have a huge impact in each. The Bison look like an early favorite to win the Summit League regular season, but when it comes to tournament time, it will be Oral Roberts and Oakland dueling it out like last year in the conference finals.