MORRIS, Minn. – The women's basketball team finds themselves in an unfamiliar position heading into the weekend, instead of looking to clinch a UMAC Title, they are trying to secure a position in the UMAC Tournament.
Currently the Cougars are in fourth place in the conference heading into the final weekend. Minnesota Morris can finish in fourth or they could slip just outside the UMAC Tournament.
Current Standings
^ - Secured UMAC Tournament Berth Tie-Breakers involving UMM:If Bethany Lutheran ends up tied with UM-Morris at 9-7, would win tiebreaker over Minnesota-Morris as using tiebreaker criteria (d) record vs. teams in conference standings in descending order of finish Bethany Lutheran would be 2-0 vs. St. Scholastica while Minnesota-Morris would be 1-1 vs. St. Scholastica. (Both teams would be 1-1 vs. Martin Luther in this scenario as well). Bethany Lutheran would be No. 3 seed and Minnesota-Morris would be No. 4 seed in this scenario.
Because of remaining opponents, there are numerous possible scenarios resulting in two-way tiebreakers or three-way tiebreaker amongst Minnesota-Morris, Martin Luther, and St. Scholastica
The first tiebreaker is head-to-head. Going into the weekend the following are the head-to-head records of these three teams:
UMM: 1-1 vs. CSS and 0-1 vs. Martin Luther with one remaining head-to-head contest this weekend
MLC: 1-1 vs. CSS and 1-0 vs. Minnesota-Morris with one remaining head-to-head contest this weekend
CSS: 1-1 vs. MLC, 1-1 vs. UMM (2-2 combined)
The next tiebreaker if still not decided is cumulative record against all teams above those tied in standings
All three teams went 0-2 vs. UW-Superior.
UMM and MLC went 0-2 vs. Northwestern but St. Scholastica is only 0-1 with a game yet this weekend vs. Northwestern. If they would win that game, that win could come into consideration in this tiebreaker
If all three teams go 0-2 vs. Northwestern then the next team would be Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther did go 1-1 vs. Bethany Lutheran, St. Scholastica went 0-2 vs. Bethany Lutheran and Morris went 0-1 against Bethany Lutheran with one remaining game against Bethany Lutheran this weekend.
Additional tiebreakers (record vs. teams in standings in descending order of finish and best conference road record) could still come into consideration pending results this weekend.
We talked with
Tim Grove about this weekend and the opponents, Martin Luther and Bethany Lutheran. Friday night is jersey night and Saturday is senior night for the women. The Cougars will honor the seniors at halftime of the men's game on Saturday afternoon.
