North Dakota State punches ticket to NCAA Tournament after Summit League title win
North Dakota State punches ticket to NCAA Tournament after Summit League title win originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
North Dakota State is heading back to March Madness.
The Bison captured the 2026 Summit League championship on Sunday night, defeating rival North Dakota 70-62 in the conference title game to secure the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Damari Wheeler-Thomas led the way with 19 points in the win.
With the victory, North Dakota State improves to 27-7 and completes a dominant stretch run through the Summit League.
The championship win also continued the Bison’s recent success against North Dakota. North Dakota State beat the Fighting Hawks three times over the past month, including two convincing regular-season victories before finishing the sweep with the title on the line.
For a program that has quietly built one of the most consistent resumes in the Summit League, Sunday’s win sends the Bison back to the national stage.
Bison control rivalry on way to championship
North Dakota State entered the Summit League Tournament as the regular-season champion after finishing 14-2 in conference play. The Bison had already proven they were the best team in the league, but they made sure to leave no doubt during the tournament.
The road to the championship included several strong performances before the Bison met North Dakota for the title. When the two rivals faced off Sunday night, it marked the third meeting between the teams in roughly a month.
North Dakota State had already defeated the Fighting Hawks 83-66 on the road and followed that up with a convincing 96-63 victory at home late in the regular season.
Sunday’s championship matchup gave North Dakota one more shot, but once again the Bison were the better team, completing the three-game sweep and locking up the Summit League’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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Balanced scoring powers North Dakota State
The Bison have been tough to beat all season because they do not rely on just one player.
Wheeler-Thomas has been one of the leaders offensively, averaging 14.3 points per game and consistently delivering in big moments. His ability to create offense has helped North Dakota State maintain one of the most efficient attacks in the conference.
Markhi Strickland has also been a major factor. The guard has been incredibly efficient, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field while averaging close to 12 points per game. He had 7 in the win.
At the point, Andy Stefonowicz has helped keep everything organized. He averages five assists per game and has been a steady presence running the offense. He scored 11 in the win.
Together, the Bison have averaged more than 81 points per game this season while holding opponents under 70, a combination that has made them the most complete team in the Summit League.
David Richman continues building something special
The steady rise of North Dakota State basketball over the past decade has a lot to do with head coach David Richman.
A North Dakota native and former Bison player, Richman has been leading the program since 2014 after spending years as an assistant in Fargo. His connection to the university and the region has helped him build a program that consistently competes at the top of the Summit League.
Richman now has well over 230 wins as a head coach and has guided the Bison to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure.
This season may be one of his most impressive coaching jobs yet. North Dakota State controlled the league standings from start to finish and finished the regular season with a conference title before completing the mission in the tournament.
A program that knows how to win in March
North Dakota State has developed a reputation as a dangerous team when it reaches the NCAA Tournament.
The Bison have appeared in the Division I tournament four times in program history in 2009, 2014, 2015, and 2019. Their most famous moment came in 2014 when North Dakota State stunned Oklahoma in overtime for the program’s first NCAA Tournament win.
They followed that up with a victory in the 2019 First Four over North Carolina Central before facing Duke in the Round of 64.
The program also qualified for the 2020 NCAA Tournament, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now the Bison are heading back again, hoping to add another memorable moment to their tournament history.
Fargo celebrates another championship season
For North Dakota State, the Summit League title represents the reward for a season defined by consistency and resilience.
The Bison won the regular-season championship, dominated conference play, and ultimately finished the job with a rivalry victory on the biggest stage.
Now at 27-7, North Dakota State will wait to see where it lands in the NCAA Tournament bracket.
One thing is certain: the Bison have been here before, and history says they are more than capable of giving a higher seed problems when March Madness begins.
