In its final season in the Summit League, Southern Utah enters the conference tournament Sunday as a No. 5 seed against fourth-seeded Oakland.

Eight teams begin play in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line. The championship game on is scheduled for 7 p.m. (MST) Tuesday. Oral Roberts (20-9, 16-2) is the top seed for the second straight year.

Meanwhile, the Southern Utah men (11-18, 7-11) enter the tournament as a No. 8 seed, playing top-seeded Oakland (22-9, 17-1) on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Should the Thunderbirds, who begin play in the Big Sky Conference next season, pull off the upset, they will take on either No. 4 seed IPFW (18-11, 11-7) or No. 5 seed South Dakota State (18-11, 10-8) on Monday at 5 p.m.

The SUU women (16-13, 10-8) play at 11 a.m., and if successful will meet either No. 2 seed IPFW (19-9, 13-5) or No. 7 UMKC (14-15, 9-9) on Monday at 1:30 p.m.

Challis Pascucci leads the Thunderbird women in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (9.0). Caitlyn Sears averages 15 points and 5.4 rebounds.

On the men's side, SUU features four players who average between 9.1 and 9.7 points. Ray Jones averages 9. 1 points and 3.9 assists.