If Minnesota manages to win in Bloomington tonight we will head into the final weekend with none of the BTT seeds locked down unless Northwestern manages to upset Wisconsin in Madison. I've NEVER seen that before.
Explanation:
First, on Minnesota/Indiana: Minnesota is currently in 12th place at 7-11 while Indiana is in 11th at 8-10.
If Indiana wins then Minnesota will drop to 7-12 which would be two games behind IU, PU, and possibly M. Thus, the Gophers could not catch any of the teams ahead of them. At the same time, they would still be at least four games ahead of NU/UNL so they could not be caught either.
If Minnesota wins then the Gophers and Hoosiers will move into a tie for 11th/12th at 8-11 one game behind PU (and possibly M).
The rest:
- Between two and four teams will be tied at 13-6. Any of them could end up with the #1 through #4 seeds.
- Between zero and two teams will be tied at 12-7. Either of them could end up ahead of the other.
- Two or three teams will be tied at 11-8. Any of them could end up ahead of or behind the others.
- Between one and three teams will be 10-9. Any of them could end up ahead of or behind the others and any of them could catch the two or three teams ahead or get caught by the team(s) behind.
- Between one and three teams will be 9-10. Any of them could end up ahead of or behind the others and any of them could catch the team(s) ahead or get caught by the team(s) behind.
- If MN wins then two teams will be tied at 8-11. Either of them could end up ahead of or behind the other or catch the team(s) ahead.
- If Northwestern loses then they will either be tied with or a game behind the Cornhuskers. Either way the bottom two seeds would be up for grabs because NU wins the tiebreaker.
Why is this? It is because teams are so bunched up largely due to the parity. This year our league Champion will have at least six losses. In prior years:
In 2019 our co-champs were 16-4 and another team was 15-5. 14-6 was only good for 4th place.
In 2018 our Champion was 16-2 while two more teams were 15-3 and another two were 13-5. Six losses would have been good for sixth place.
In 2017 our Champion was 14-4. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 2nd/3rd/4th.
In 2016 our Champion was 15-3 and our runner-up was 13-5. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th.
In 2015 our Champion was 16-2 and our runner-up was 14-4. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 3rd/4th/5th/6th.
In 2014 our Champion was 15-3. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 2nd/3rd/4th.
In 2013 our Champion was 14-4 and another two teams were 13-5. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 4th/5th/6th.
In 2012 our three co-champs were 13-5. Six losses would have been good for a tie for 4th/5th.
In 2011 our Champion was 16-2. Our runner-up was 14-4 and another team was 13-5. Six losses would have been good for 4th.
In 2010 our three co-champs were 14-4 and another team was 13-5. Six losses would have been good for 5th place.