Let the madness begin

Thank goodness for cheaters. What would IU do without them? Well for one, they'd have a harder time getting into the Big Dance.\nFirst you've got Michigan. The Wolverines are paying for the sins of the Fab Five by getting banned from this year's tournament.\nEven with all the help Michigan was willing to provide, it would still be nice to get some extra insurance. That's where Georgia coach Jim Harrick was able to oblige. The school has suspended Harrick, who has been accused of academic improprieties, and the 19-8 Bulldogs have been banned from the NCAA Tournament. Thus, a spot has opened for another team to enter the tourney. While there's no sure way of telling that IU will be the direct beneficiary of these scandals, they can't hurt. Nor will winning some games during the Big Ten tournament. \nOne benefit of the Big Ten tournament is that it gives me a chance to get some practice in filling out my brackets for the Big Dance. Here's how I think the tourney will end up. (Remember, anyone could win the Big Ten this year, so don't make fun of me if I end up picking every game incorrectly).\nFirst round: IU over Penn State, Minnesota over Northwestern, Iowa over Ohio State.\nWhy: There are a number of factors that give IU a huge advantage. By now, it realizes it has to win this game. It should also play like a home game, considering the large number of alumni in the Chicago area. Also, it would just be embarrassing to miss the NCAAs in a year that IUPUI makes it.\nMinnesota will win because it is in the same boat as IU -- only its boat is a lot closer to sinking. Northwestern is 20 minutes from home and might keep it close, but the Gophers should still pull it out.\nWhy Iowa? It always seem to pull off some sort of tournament miracle. It made it to the finals as a No. 9 seed last year and won as a No. 6 in 2001. Steve Alford's karma isn't ready to slow down yet.\nSecond round: IU over Michigan, Michigan State over Purdue, Illinois over Minnesota, Wisconsin over Iowa.\nWhy: One of IU's best Big Ten wins was against Michigan. And if the Big Ten was run like most other conferences, the postseason ineligible Wolverines' season would already be over. It should come to a close after this match-up.\nThe Michigan State-Purdue game could be one of the best of the tournament. Each team won at home when they met in the regular season. But the Spartans enter the tournament on a four-game winning streak, so I give them the edge.\nIllinois' last game was a home win against Minnesota. The Illini play several home games at the United Center each year. And they aren't too happy about losing the regular season title to Wisconsin.\nLogic dictates that the Badgers will end Iowa's tournament dreams this year. Wisconsin's defense is ranked fourth in the nation, and it is playing as well as it did in 2000 when it made the Final Four.\nSemifinals: Illinois over IU, Wisconsin over Michigan State.\nWhy: Remember the last time the Hoosiers played Illinois? Things got ugly. And they could again. Illinois has the top-ranked offense in the Big Ten. IU has the ninth-ranked defense. I don't like that equation. At least by this time the Hoosiers will have clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament.\nIf the Badgers and Spartans meet, don't expect much scoring. But it should still be a contest that goes down to the wire. Both teams have been on hot streaks lately. And even though I think Wisconsin has the best potential to go deep in the NCAA tournament, I still haven't picked an upset, so I'll go with Michigan State.\nFinals: Illinois over Michigan State.\nWhy: Over the course of the season, Illinois has proved itself as the deepest team in the conference. And it should at least get a piece of the Big Ten championship.