The end is near for IU.
This weekend, the No. 52 Hoosiers will play their last two matches before the start of the Big Ten Tournament.
After winning both matches at home this past weekend, IU will travel to Madison, Wis., to play the Badgers at 4:00 p.m. Friday. The Hoosiers will return home Saturday to play Minnesota at the IU Tennis Center.
IU is currently 5-4 in its away matches and 9-3 at home.
The Hoosiers have performed well against the Badgers in recent meetings. IU has won its matches against Wisconsin for the past two years. The difference between those wins and the upcoming games is the previous matches took place in Bloomington.
IU is coming off two consecutive wins, while Wisconsin is coming to the match with two recent losses. IU has never played on the outdoor courts before in Madison, which could present a challenge for the Hoosiers.
The Hoosiers will then return home face off against Minnesota. In the past three seasons, Minnesota has yet to win a match against IU in Bloomington. Playing Minnesota at the IU Tennis Center is anticipated to be an advantage for IU.
Both Minnesota and Wisconsin have lost their past two matches to Northwestern and Illinois, teams that challenged IU earlier this season.
“Both Wisconsin and Minnesota are playing their best tennis of the season,” IU Coach Lin Loring said. “These will be very competitive matches. I think both teams are better indoors.”
These matches will be crucial for the Hoosiers, who are looking to get a bye to the Big Ten Tournament in Evanston, Ill., next week.
IU is competing with multiple teams for a bye. The Hoosiers are No. 7 (5-4) in the conference standings. They are one of six with a conference record of 5-4 or 4-5.
“Hopefully we can get lucky with the weather and play some outdoor tennis, ” Loring said. “All three teams are fighting for roughly the same seeding positions for the Big Ten Tournament next week. We will need a great team effort in both matches.”
