Win or Lose, Omaha is Dancing After Summit MBB Final

Omaha is heading to its first NCAA tournament -- even if the Mavericks lose the Summit League championship game.

Omaha will play St. Thomas in the tournament final Sunday night, but the Tommies are ineligible for the NCAA tournament while completing its transition to Division I. That means Omaha will receive the league's automatic bid no matter the result, because the Mavericks won the regular-season conference title.

Tony Osburn scored 30 points in Omaha's 100-75 victory over South Dakota in the semifinals Saturday night. St. Thomas beat North Dakota 85-69.

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Omaha, in its 14th season since moving up to Division I, is competing in the Summit League championship game for the third time but has yet to win.

St. Thomas was kicked out of its Division III league for being too dominant. The Minnesota school then jumped all the way to Division I. This is the final year the Tommies won't be eligible for the NCAA tournament.