Big Ten Network to Broadcast Michigan-Indiana Game Live on March 26
CHICAGO, Ill. --
The Big Ten Network will broadcast the Collegiate Water Polo
Association Western Division battle between No. 7-ranked the
University of Michigan and No. 13 Indiana University on Saturday,
March 26 at 2:00 p.m. live from the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic
Center in Bloomington, Indiana.
A rematch of the 2010 CWPA Eastern
Championship at the University of Maryland, the Wolverines and
Hoosiers enter the contest ranked among the Top Three programs in
the league and their division along with Hartwick College.
Last year, Michigan claimed a 6-4
victory over Indiana when the Big Ten Network aired its first-ever
water polo game on April 3, 2010, in front of the largest crowd
ever inside Canham Natatorium.
The March 26 showdown will pit the
five-time Eastern Champions (2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010) of
Michigan against perennial contender and 2003 Eastern Champion
Indiana as the two programs will clash for first place in the
division with a potential No. 1 seed for the 2011 Eastern
Championship on April 29-May 1 back at Indiana on the line.
The game
will have added importance as unlike past seasons in which the
regular season records seeded the teams for a division
championship, regular season won-loss records will now solely
decide which program claims the Western Division crown.
The history of the series gives
limited indicators of the outcome.
Michigan,
which will host the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Championship in May, holds a 39-11-2 record all-time against
Indiana, including a 12-3-1 mark on the road in Bloomington.
The Wolverines are currently riding an eight game winning streak
over the Hoosiers dating back to a 5-3 victory by Indiana on April
29, 2007 in the 2007 CWPA Eastern Championship third place game at
Princeton University.
Indiana
has not defeated Michigan at home since March 25, 2006 courtesy a
6-5 victory.
Overall,
Indiana-Michigan games have been some of the tightest affairs in
the league over the history of the league with 38 of the previous
52 meetings being decided by two-goals or less, including a pair of
ties, with the past six meetings being decided by a total of nine
goals.
Nine
times the teams have gone to overtime, including a five OT contest
on April 27, 2002 (8-7 Indiana victory). The last time the
teams played extra-time was on April 23, 2005, an 11-10 win by
Michigan at a neutral site. Indiana, which stands at 1-8
all-time against Michigan in overtime, claimed its sole OT win on
March 18, 2005 at Michigan as the two teams have never exceeded
regulation in Bloomington.
