The first week of conference basketball tournaments has been one of the most exciting in history, with every championship game so far coming down to the wire. If the trend holds, the Big Ten men's basketball tournament could be one to remember, as several teams in the league are fighting for their NCAA-tournament lives.
Wisconsin, Ohio State and Indiana are generally considered consensus picks to make March Madness, but beyond that, no team's fate is secure.
Maybe no team has more on the line than Michigan (20-11), as the Wolverines seem in serious danger of missing the Big Dance for the ninth-straight season. While this is a perilous enough of a position for a perceived national powerhouse such as Michigan, it could be even more significant because head coach Tommy Amaker's job security could be in serious jeopardy.
"It's not about me; my status is what it is," Amaker told the Detroit Free Press. "We're coaching the team right now, and I don't think it's appropriate to have discussions about my status."
Amaker believes the Wolverines still have an opportunity to make something out of their season in the Big Ten Tournament and refused to cloud his team member's minds with words about his future with the team.
"We still have opportunities to do things with our team and our season. … In reference to me, that's not even an issue that I think about or discuss with them, or (that) ever comes up — it comes in [the press conferences]," Amaker said. "We're focused on what we have in front of us. I'm hopeful that our kids will be the same way and have some fun this coming week."
In all likelihood, the Wolverines will have to win at least two games — which means defeating top-seeded Ohio State — to have a chance, and might have to win the whole tournament to feel totally secure.
Right now, of the 36 projections listed on "The Bracket Project," only two list the Wolverines as being in the tournament right now.
Michigan isn't the only team in need of wins.
Both Purdue (20-10) and Illinois (21-10) are sitting squarely on the bubble. In fact, ESPN's Andy Glockner says it is virtually impossible to differentiate between the two schools.
The No. 5 seed in the tournament, the Boilermakers, could lock up a bid simply with a win over No. 4 Iowa Friday, and two wins would basically assure them a spot — especially if that second win is over Ohio State.
Illinois, on the other hand, is in a no-win situation against Penn State in the first round, as the win won't do much for the Illini. Two wins is probably a must for Illinois to be able to sleep soundly Sunday night.
Although they are the No. 7 seed in the league tournament, Michigan State (21-10) probably has the best chance of any bubble team to make the tournament. But with a late season swoon, their status isn't certain yet. A loss to lowly Northwestern might prove fatal, but if the Spartans can escape the Wildcats, they should be set to strut their stuff in the Big Dance.
Iowa (17-13) might have finished fourth in the conference, but they will need a minor miracle to return to the upper-tier postseason. With simply too few big wins, as well as total wins, it's likely that the Hawkeyes could only avoid being relegated to the NIT by taking the whole tournament and earning the Big Ten's automatic berth.
Ditto goes for league doormats Minnesota (9-21), Northwestern (13-17) and Penn State (11-18), who all are already ineligible for even the NIT, having no chance at .500 records. Considering these three teams combined have less conference victories (seven) than ninth-place Michigan (eight), a run by any of the three would have to be considered moderately shocking.
