How do the Badgers get a double-bye in Big Ten Tourney? Tie-breakers explained

The Big Ten Tournament is only two games away, and this season there are four extra teams in the conference with Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC. That has changed how the conference runs the tournament and has created a scenario where the bottom teams aren’t invited and the top four teams get a double-bye.

The double-bye is essentially the ability to hang out while the first two rounds take place, and whoever has that seeding won’t have to play a game until the third round. While the below social media post is now out of date, you can see how it would work:

Purdue, Maryland, and Wisconsin are all tied: How does Wisconsin assure the bye?

The problem is that currently Purdue, Maryland, and Wisconsin are all tied in the Big Ten at 12-6, which is technically a three-way tie at 3rd in the standings. However, that makes it so there are five teams. Which can’t happen and someone will have to be fifth in the seeding. There are only two games left for each and there are some complex scenarios to be played out.

Scenario: All three teams go 2-0

The first tie-breaker is head-to-head results. Which, for this group of three, is fascinating because Wisconsin has beaten Purdue but lost to Maryland. Maryland has beaten Wisconsin but lost to Purdue. Purdue has beaten Maryland but lost to Wisconsin. Which means if they all go 2-0 to close the season, a whole new tiebreaker needs to take place.

“Each team’s record vs. the team occupying the highest position in the final regular season standings (or in the case of a tie for the championship, the next highest position in the regular-season standings), continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage. “

Big Ten Tournament seeding rules

Let’s assume that the Big Ten regular season champ is Michigan State, who seems to be the most likely candidate at this point. All three teams have also lost to the Spartans, making things more complex. We now have to go to the next tie-breaker.

It seems to indicate that you would move to the next team on the Big Ten Standings. If second place ends up being Michigan, let’s assume. And under this scenario of Maryland going 2-0, they would have to beat Michigan to do that. This means Purdue and Wisconsin both lost to Michigan. Maryland beats them. That would put the Terrapins in the three-seed spot.

Now, it only leaves Wisconsin and Purdue tied for that fourth seed, the implications are that it would then go back to head-to-head result which Wisconsin won. Meaning that Wisconsin would be the fourth seed and Purdue the fifth.

Thus, as far as we over here at Badger of Honor can figure reading the rules, Wisconsin only needs to go 2-0. Things get a lot cleaner if Purdue or Maryland lose at least one game.