If you're a fan of the offensive aspect of college hoops, then you've arrived to the proper conference preview — the Summit League, where defense is a premium and offense is a guarantee.
So, here's my deep dive Summit League preview for the 2024-25 college basketball season.
2024-25 Summit League Regular Season NCAAB Conference Title Odds
| Team Name | Odds (Via BetMGM) |
| South Dakota State | +200 |
| St. Thomas | +275 |
| Kansas City | +400 |
| North Dakota State | +700 |
| Oral Roberts | +750 |
| South Dakota | +1400 |
| North Dakota | +3000 |
| Omaha | +5000 |
| Denver | +5000 |
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The Summit League Favorites
Kansas City Roos
History has been made in Kansas City. For the first time ever, the Roos are the preseason pick to win the Summit League.
While that doesn't translate into betting success, it's a feather in the cap for a program with little success of late.
Marvin Menzies has changed the tenor in Kansas City. He's a different type of coach than most of his Summit League foes; his opponents in league play will want to use offensive success for wins, but Menzies prefers using his defense.
This squad returns many impactful pieces, namely all-leaguer Jamar Brown, who should vie for conference Player of the Year.
Beyond Brown, the Roos have a dynamic duo of sharpshooters, Anderson Kopp and Cameron Faas.
The Roos winning 10 Summit League games last season — despite their immense offensive struggles that had them as 265th-most efficient unit in college hoops — is a sign of good things to come.
It's worth noting that Kopp played just 10 games last year due to injury. When Kopp is in the lineup, he's a total X-factor for Kansas City thanks to his shooting and size that allows him to play the four in a small-ball lineup.
I totally get the love for Kansas City; a team that returns its three best players in the portal era deserves some props.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
I’d categorize South Dakota State as overvalued in early-season betting markets. The 2024-25 Jackrabbits strike some pretty stark similarities to the 2022-23 team that won just 19 games but still finished second in the league.
Fresh off a tourney appearance that previous year, South Dakota State lost then-Summit League Player of Year Baylor Scheierman to Creighton.
This year, South Dakota State saw Zeke Mayo and his 20 points per game leave for his hometown Jayhawks. Plus, William Kyle III, who calmed things down on defense for the Jackrabbits, is a projected starter at UCLA.
That's just unfair luck, but it's the world we live in.
This year's squad will rely heavily upon sophomore Kalen Garry and Washington State forward transfer Oscar Cluff. Garry could be Mayo’s successor, just like Mayo was Scheierman’s.
The Jackrabbits had three or four other names leading the scouting report ahead of Garry last year, and now he's the top name. Will he take a leap with more usage? He's capable, but he can't lead South Dakota State to a conference title alone.
Since South Dakota State didn't pursue guards via the portal, it'll need swift contributions from freshmen guards Stoney Hadnot and Jaden Jackson.
I don't trust this roster enough to bet on it to win the conference. Besides its recent dominance in the Summit, this program has a lot of unknowns right now.
Next Best in Summit League
North Dakota State Bison
The Bison continually churn out bigs like it’s nothing. The newest stud big in Fargo is 6-foot-10 center Noah Feddersen.
Feddersen is a spitting image of Rocky Kreuser, a former Bison big who many regard as one of the better players in program history. Fedderson won't just be one of North Dakota State's best players, but he has the upside to be a Summit League Player of the Year frontrunner.
Starting guards Tajavis Miller, Jacari White and Damari Wheeler-Thomas are all back in the fold. Each of those three averaged eight-plus points, while Wheeler-Thomas and Miller averaged 10+ points.
Coach David Richman strengthened the backcourt by adding perimeter marksmen Brennan Watkins (VMI) and Luke Kasubke (Illinois State).
The Bison boast the Summit's best starting lineup. They know what they'll get from the guards and Feddersen is the ceiling raiser.
St. Thomas Tommies
The Tommies have finished fourth in the Summit in back-to-back seasons, and this is their last year of their non-NCAA Tournament eligibility as part of their transition to D-I hoops.
Three of St Thomas’ top five scorers graduated. Parker Bjorklund and Raheem Anthony are the biggest losses, but neither is irreplaceable.
I’m expecting a jump from sophomore forward Carter Bjerke, while Rich Byhre from Green Bay should produce in Bjorklund’s place.
The Tommies will also need to shoot it well considering they regularly rank top-25 in 3-point attempts per game. They’ll need better play from their top two guards, Drake Dobbs and Kendall Blue, who shot below 33% from 3 last year on healthy volume.
Johnny Tauer is one of the more deliberate coaches in terms of offensive pace in the sport. The Tommies ranked 354th in Adjusted Tempo last year, but they're amongst the most efficient offensive teams at the mid-major level.
If an opposition allows St. Thomas to settle into a groove in the half-court, then that's feeding directly int0 their hands.
From a talent perspective, I don't think St. Thomas is the best team in the league, but man, Tauer can really, really coach.
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Oral Roberts unsurprisingly struggled in Russell Springmann’s first year at the helm. It was never going to be an easy transition losing Paul Mills — and more importantly, program legend Max Abmas.
Things should improve a bit this year with a potentially potent guard tandem leading the way. The preseason Summit League Player of the Year is Issac McBride, who averaged 19 points per game and is an Abmas-like player with his elite shooting prowess.
I love McBride's story, as he went from a highly-touted recruit at Kansas to the bottom of the barrel of high-major schools at Vandy before Oral Roberts.
Joining McBride is a former JUCO standout Darius Robinson Jr. from Casper College. Robinson put up outstanding numbers in his own right, averaging 18 points per game on 41% from 3 a season ago.
If McBride and Robinson can score in tandem, then Oral Roberts becomes a sneaky contender.
The biggest problem last year for Oral Roberts was its interior production. The Golden Eagles ranked 355th in offensive rebounding percentage and 267th in defensive rebounding percentage.
The good news? Springmann added interior beef in 6-foot-7 Sam Alajiki (Rice), 6-foot-8 Carlos Rosario (Drake) and 7-foot-3 Mathok Majok (UMass).
Although I don’t think Oral Roberts wins the league, taking its long-shot odds could be a worthwhile dart throw, especially with two dynamic guards like McBride and Robinson.
Middle of the Pack
South Dakota Coyotes
The Coyotes winning just 12 games last year felt like an extreme disappointment — even more so when factoring in the additions Lahat Thioune and Bostyn Holt.
Thioune (who's now gone) was a lightning-in-a-bottle-type add, as he posted 14.3 points and 9.4 rebounds after having accomplished very little before arriving.
Do they have another Thioune-type steal in seven-footer Cameron Fens? I'm not sure Fens will average 14 and nine, but if he can average 8.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, it'll be a welcomed sight for the Yotes.
On a positive note, South Dakota gets back Kaleb Stewart, who averaged 15 points per game on 45% shooting overall (42% from 3).
Can Stewart be even better? Well, it still feels like he can unlock some untapped potential based on his outstanding first year at South Dakota. If he shoots the ball 15 or 16 times per game instead of 12, then 20 points per game doesn't feel very far fetched.
South Dakota will need its transfer portal trio to pay off. It brought in size and defense with Dre Bullock — a former teammate of Stewart — Chase Forte and the earlier mentioned seven-footer Fens.
Forte is the potential X-factor here. During his lone year at Northwestern State, Forte averaged over four assists per game and provided stout defense. He's the ideal table setter to get Stewart and Paul Bruns some clean shots.
I'm guessing the South Dakota staff saw some of Holt's game in Forte, and he should blossom in that role.
I don't think South Dakota will win the league — or even make a convincing push — but it won't be a surprise if the Coyotes randomly beat one of the top three teams in the league due to Stewart going off for 30+ points.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
The team I had the toughest time placing in this write up is North Dakota, which saw its top two scorers — BJ Omot and Tyree Ihenacho — pack their bags for schools out west.
In more encouraging news, the Fighting Hawks return a pair of all-league candidates in scoring machine Treysen Eaglestaff and double-double machine Amar Kuljuhovic.
Also back is guard Eli King, who appeared in the starting lineup in 12-of-32 games.
They likely needed a lot more in the portal to compete than just Mier Panoam. While Panoam offers a very high ceiling, he isn't someone with a college basketball pedigree. He hardly touched the floor on a fairly mediocre Tulane team, so I have no clue what to expect from him.
North Dakota could've used some pieces with success at the Division I level to replace the 30+ combined points from Omot and Ihenacho.
Bottom of the Summit League
Denver Pioneers
The Pioneers are by far the most fadeable team in the Summit League. They clocked in at ninth in the preseason poll, which feels appropriate given the current roster state.
I have zero interest in grabbing the long odds on the Pioneers. Fading Denver throughout the year is something I'll look at doing if the roster struggles like I think it could.
Jeff Wulbrun’s squad lost over 50 points between guards Tommy Bruner, Jaxon Brenchley and forward Touko Tainamo. Only Tainamo transferred, so Denver expected to lose the two super seniors.
Even still, Denver didn't do much to improve its talent base in the portal.
Sophomore DeAndre Craig is the name to watch out for as Bruner's replacement. He's an in-house guy who saw Bruner light up the world last year, but assuming he'll jump from six points per game to 20 is asking a ton.
The sophomore guard is unquestionably the best player on the Pioneers roster, though.
In a league in which most teams grabbed portal reinforcements, it's tough to picture Denver competing with everything it lost and with a lack of impact newcomers.
Omaha Mavericks
Last year was a huge success for head coach Chris Crutchfield, who ended a three-year drought of fewer than 10 wins.
After winning 16 games, can the growth from Omaha's program expand further? It'll be tough.
The Mavericks took arguably the biggest blow in the portal, with Frankie Fidler leaving for Michigan State.
Replacing Fidler is borderline impossible for Omaha.
It’ll look to fill the void with a pair of returnees in forward Marquel Sutton and Tony Osburn.
Additionally, Omaha will hope its newcomers can be the difference needed to keep the momentum rolling. Forward Joshua Streit and guard Lance Waddles come from NDSU, while forwards Valentino Simon and Kamryn Thomas hail from Hutchinson CC.
I can’t picture Omaha contending in the Summit League. It struggled with one of the top scorers in mid-major hoops, so what happens when it doesn't have him? Probably not good things.
Summit League Best Bet & Futures
I'll grab the favorable odds with North Dakota State (+700), which offers a strong floor and an incredibly high ceiling if Feddersen pops.
Were the past two years — which were a pair of losing seasons — an anomaly, or is that the new reality for Coach Richman? I lean the former.
Remember this part: The Summit had a dominant team running the league the past two seasons, with Oral Roberts posting an unblemished record two years ago and South Dakota State losing just four conference games last season.
No team in this year's Summit League has that top-end level upside, so I'll roll with the experienced Bison.
