Big, black and blue

You can get away with anything. It's just a matter of when you're going to get caught.\nFor the Michigan basketball program, getting caught meant paying for transgressions that are in the current team's rearview mirror.\nWhen it was revealed that former booster Ed Martin "lent" money to players and their families, 112 victories over five seasons were erased, including two Final Four appearances. The current team was put on self-imposed postseason probation for this year (any additional penalties by the NCAA are pending).\nAt the beginning of the season, if nothing else, this seemed like a light penalty. People still remembered who the Fab Five were. And this year's Wolverines squad, which started 0-6 with losses to the likes of Central and Western Michigan, wasn't good enough to make it to the postseason anyway.\nMichigan's poor start is so long ago that it seems like it occurred in another season altogether. Now the Wolverines are fighting for the top spot in the Big Ten standings. For the Big Ten's head wonks, nothing could be more nightmarish for the conference's image than a championship team that can't prove its worth in the NCAA Tournament. But for IU, Michigan's success may help the Hoosiers in their tournament hopes.\nThe Big Ten has already made a contingency plan in case Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament. In that case, the title goes to the regular season conference champion. Provided that Michigan claims that title as well, the Big Ten's automatic bid will go to the regular season runner-up. \nNo, that's not where IU figures to fit in. But Michigan's inability to go to the postseason opens up an extra spot for someone to go to the Big Dance. As things currently stand, most people figure that the Big Ten will get five -- maybe six -- teams into the tournament. While the tournament selection committee says that it does not look at the number of teams that a conference puts into the field, it certainly wouldn't help any for Michigan to be a part of that mix.\nFor IU to pull itself into the tournament, it will have to win at least 18 games. That would give them an 8-8 conference record. They really don't want to play around with what might happen if they finish below .500 in conference play.\nIn order for any of this to happen, the Hoosiers will have to do something that they haven't done all season -- win a Big Ten road game. They have four games left on the road, including their next three straight contests.\nWas it fair for the Big Ten to schedule two blocks of three-straight road games for IU during the toughest part of the season? It doesn't seem like it. But they did the same thing to Ohio State and Iowa, so IU is not alone in this category. If the Hoosiers can prove that they can survive on the road, they could find themselves tournament worthy.\nNo surprise here: Speaking of teams who cheated, the NCAA is investigating allegations that former Fresno State players had people paid to complete their term papers using money funneled from a Las Vegas agent. Come on, a dirty team coached by Jerry Tarkanian?