Purdue on BTN2Go This Month / Boilermakers Remain Nation's Most Improved
CHICAGO - The first two games of the Purdue-Minnesota baseball series in Minneapolis later this month have been added to the Big Ten Network's live television schedule.
The BTN has announced the Thursday, May 18 and Friday, May 19 games in Minneapolis have been chosen as wild-card selections for the final weekend of the regular season. Both games are slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Boilermakers are already 2-0 in games televised live by BTN this season, winning the middle game of the Ohio State series and the finale of the Illinois series on the network. BTN is also scheduled to televise Purdue's May 14 home finale vs. Michigan (3 p.m.). And with BTN televising every game of the Big Ten Tournament again this year, the Boilermakers could end up playing a minimum five games on live TV this month.
However, Purdue still needs to officially qualify for the eight-team Big Ten Tournament. Most teams around the league have nine conference games remaining. The Boilermakers enter their weekend series against Northwestern in a four-way tie for third place at 9-6. The Wildcats are in 10th place at 6-9.
Meanwhile, the Rutgers-Minnesota series that was postponed last month when Rutgers' flight to the Twin Cities was canceled has been partially rescheduled for May 16 in Minneapolis. The teams will play a BTN-televised doubleheader that day. Purdue's series against the Gophers begins two days later.
Rutgers is currently in ninth place in the Big Ten standings at 5-7 and plays eight of its final 11 league games on the road. The Scarlet Knights own a potential tiebreaker over Purdue. However, with only two of their games vs. Minnesota now scheduled to be made up, that tiebreaker would not have an opportunity to come into play unless the Boilermakers also have a Big Ten game canceled. Tiebreakers only apply if the tied teams have played an equal number of league games. Winning percentage in conference play is the No. 1 determining factor in the standings.
Seven more of Purdue's regular-season games this month, including the entire Northwestern series, will be available via BTN Plus on BTN2Go. All BTN-televised games are also on BTN2Go, but a pay-TV subscription is required.