The Wisconsin Badgers have one final game in the Big Ten regular season, facing off against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Kohl Center this Saturday, with the game starting at noon.
Currently, Wisconsin has a record of 23-7 overall and 13-6 in conference play, and they’re fighting hard for better seeding in the Big Ten tournament, aiming for a top-four finish to secure a double-bye.
At present, they sit at No. 5 in the conference and are involved in a three-way tiebreaker alongside the Purdue Boilermakers and the Maryland Terrapins.
I’ve written a comprehensive article detailing the Big Ten’s tiebreakers and their implications for the Badgers, outlining every possible scenario.
With only one game left, Wisconsin finds themselves in a challenging situation, not where they had hoped to be. Recent losses to the Oregon Ducks and Michigan State Spartans have put them in a tough tiebreaker spot.
To improve their chances, Wisconsin needs to 1) defeat Penn State and 2) see either Purdue or Maryland lose their last game.
There’s a possibility for the first requirement to be met tonight, as Purdue plays the Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday evening, starting at 7:00 p.m. Illinois is favored by 3.5 points, and Wisconsin will benefit from an Illini victory.
If Purdue loses, their conference record would drop to 13-7. Should Wisconsin defeat Penn State, as they’re expected to do, they would boost their record to 14-6, earning a top-four seed.
However, if Purdue wins, hope isn’t completely lost, but it would be significantly reduced. Maryland is set to compete against the Northwestern Wildcats at home on Saturday and is likely to win. If Purdue triumphs over Illinois, Wisconsin still must beat Penn State and depend on Maryland losing to secure a top-four seed.
If both Purdue and Maryland win, the tiebreaker situation remains unchanged, keeping Wisconsin at No. 5, which means they’ll need to play an extra game in the Big Ten Tournament.
So, Badgers fans should be wishing for a favorable outcome on Friday night, one that favors the orange and blue.
