With 20 wins, odds in Gophers' favor to make NCAA tournament

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The Gophers men’s basketball team just keeps finding ways to win, getting their fifth win in a row on Sunday night in overtime against Michigan.

But, is what they've put together this season enough to warrant a trip to the NCAA tournament?

They're not officially in the NCAA tournament, but with 20 wins during the regular season already, the Gophers could be joining the madness for the first time in four seasons.
   
Since the NCAA tournament field expanded to 68 teams in 2010, 40 Big Ten teams have had 20-plus regular season wins. Of those 40 teams, 38 made the NCAA tournament. The only two not to do so were Northwestern last year and Iowa in 2013. Neither team had a conference record above 500.

The Gophers are 8-6, which means the next four games could be crucial. Three of the next four teams, they've already played against, but all three of those games were losses.

The odds are in the Gophers favor at this point to go dancing, but another win or two would make them an official lock for March.