NCU women's basketball controls their playoff destiny
In their final game of the 2019-20 season, the North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team is set for their biggest and most crucial contest of the year. On Saturday evening, the Rams take on the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM) Cougars in a matchup that drastically determines their hopes for locking up the final playoff spot in the 2019-20
UMACÂ playoffs. Heading into the final day of conference games, four of the five
UMAC playoff spots are locked up. The last spot is to be determined between the Rams, and the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) Saints.
The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (
UMAC) released the official playoff scenarios for Saturday's games:
- North Central University (8-7 UMAC) Â - Could be the #5 seed, or not make the post season tournament.
- North Central will secure the #5 seed if they win their game on Saturday vs. Minnesota-Morris or if St. Scholastica lose their matchup against the University of Northwestern, St. Paul
- If North Central and St. Scholastica finish tied at 8-8, St. Scholastica would win the tiebreaker for the #5 seed for the following reasons.
- The first tiebreaker is determined by each team's head-to-head record against the other.
- NCU and CSS split in their two matchups during the 2019-20 season (1-1), therefore it will go to the next tiebreaker
- The next tiebreaker is determined by cumulative record against all teams that are above the two tied teams.
- St. Scholastica would be 2-6 (two wins vs. Northwestern)
- North Central would be 1-7 (one win vs. Northwestern)
With the current playoff scenarios being the way they are, the Rams control their destiny to make back-to-backÂ
UMAC playoff appearances for the first time in NCU basketball history with a win against the Cougars.
