The University of St. Thomas men’s basketball team is the four seed for the Summit League conference tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. this weekend. The Tommies will play the five seed North Dakota State in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

***Click the video box above to hear comments from Johnny Tauer and Brooks Allen***

The Tommies finished the regular season with a 19-12 overall record, and a 9-7 record in conference play.

The Tommies season will end at the conference tournament, win or lose. St. Thomas is three years into a five year transition window playing at the NCAA Division I level. The NCAA doesn’t allow programs in that transition period to participate in NCAA national tournaments. The Tommies are treating the Summit League tournament as their postseason championship opportunity.

“At the end of the day, our guys are thrilled we get to play in the Summit League tournament, we didn’t get to in the first year,” said Tommies head coach Johnny Tauer. “To get to go there last year, win a game, play in the semifinals in front of a packed crowd. To get to go back there this year, I think our guys revel in the things we get to control.”

Tauer is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Tommies.

St. Thomas will play North Dakota State on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.