The Maryland Terrapins (26-24, 11-10 Big 10, 73 RPI) dropped two of three games at home to Rutgers (25-26, 8-13 Big 10, 72 RPI) last weekend. The Terps head to East Lansing, Michigan, for the final three games of the regular season against Michigan State (33-15, 12-9 Big 10, 66 RPI) beginning Thursday afternoon.

The Spartans hold sixth place in the Big 10 standings, sitting just one game ahead of the seventh place Terps.

The Terps are just 1.5 games behind fifth place Michigan (34-16, 12-8 Big 10, 29 RPI), who were swept by fourth place Ohio State (35-16-1, 13-8 Big 10, 76 RPI) last weekend. Michigan will play at ninth place Illinois (26-22, 10-11 Big 10, 58 RPI) this weekend.

The Terps hold the tie-breaker over eighth place Penn State (27-25, 11-10 Big 10, 112 RPI) because of a series win in late April. The Nittany Lions host 10th place Iowa (24-24, 10-11 Big 10, 96 RPI) this weekend.

With a strong series at Michigan State and help from Minnesota (33-15, 15-5 Big 10, 41 RPI), Indiana (31-18, 15-6 Big 10, 95 RPI) and Illinois, the Terps could climb as high as third place in the Big 10. With a poor series, the team could finish as low as 11th place.

First place Minnesota hosts Ohio State, second place Indiana will play at third place Nebraska (33-18, 13-8 Big 10, 54 RPI), and Illinois hosts Michigan.

Minnesota was the only Big 10 team to receive rankings in any polls. The Golden Gophers were ranked 24 by D1 Baseball’s Top 25 and USA Today’s Coaches Poll, 26 by Collegiate Baseball, and 21 by Baseball America.

The Big 10 Tournament begins Wednesday, May 25 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Big 10 Conference: 7

RPI: 73

NCBWA: Unranked

USA Today’s Coaches Poll: Unranked

D1 Baseball’s Top 25: Unranked

Collegiate Baseball: Unranked

Baseball America: Unranked