Jimmy Walker, who played at Providence in the 1960s, and Jalen Rose, who played at Michigan in the 1990s, were two of the best college basketball players of their respective generations. They were also father and son, though Walker never supported Rose and died in 2007 having never met his son.
College basketball fans have known that story for years, and the lack of a father-son relationship was a major theme of the Rose life story told in Mitch Albom's book Fab Five. But if you'd expect Rose to feel bitterness toward the father he never knew, you'd be wrong.
In 2008, the Big Ten sent only four teams to the NCAA tournament. None reached the Elite Eight The Big Ten toiled down with mid-majors in conference RPI and were nationally maligned as the "Average 11." This past season, however, the league enjoyed a resurgence. It ranked only behind the ACC in conference RPI. Seven schools earned a berth into the NCAA tournament, and Penn State won the NIT. Michigan State toppled the defending national champions and two number one seeds en route to a national runner-up finish.
Heading into Saturday, Michigan's NCAA Tournament resume looked pretty decent, save for two key spots: the Wolverines were under .500 in the Big Ten, and had no big road victories.
Consider both problems taken care of. Claiming what was arguably its most clutch win in more than a decade, Michigan stormed back from a 12-point deficit at Minnesota and stunned the Gophers 67-64. The two teams basically swap spots in the Big Dance picture -- Michigan now looks like a pretty safe bet to get in, while Minnesota finds itself right on the border.
First of all, allow us a moment to give Penn State some credit. They had never won 10 Big Ten games in one season until they garnered their tenth of 2009 Thursday night. They apparently have a flair for the dramatic, as they trailed by six with under two minutes left. A Stanley Pringle three, a huge offensive board -- followed by two free throws -- from David Jackson, some good defense, and a clutch runner from Talor Battle propelled them to an unbelievable victory over a very solid Illinois team for the second time this season.
March started days ago. The Madness started Wednesday night.
On an evening where bubble teams could've punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament and boosters could've started humming bars of "One Shining Moment," teams turned down invitations like they were to a wedding without an open bar or the People's Choice Awards.
A memo, fellows. This isn't an invitation to a candlelight dinner with Randy Johnson. "Big Dance" doesn't mean you're cutting a rug with Mark Madsen or waltzing cheek-to-cheek with Mike Tyson.
For one half, the Michigan Wolverines were all but trying on their dancing shoes. One half later, they were all but watching Wisconsin waltz into the NCAA tournament.
Michigan's DeShawn Sims-Manny Harris combo did all it could to build on the Wolverines' win over Purdue Thursday, but Wisconsin turned the Wolverines away with their trademark physical defense in the second half. The pressure went up, and the Wolverines' offense went down, managing just 21 points in the second half.
So, can Wisconsin sleepwalk into March Madness and are the Wolverines done, just days after they were all but called a shoo-in?
Michigan's NCAA tournament hopes took a big blow in Iowa City.
The Wolverines made a gutty comeback on the Hawkeyes, before letting Iowa tie the game in the final seconds and send it to overtime. But in the extra frame, Michigan's fight, and its leading scorer were nowhere to be found. Manny Harris, the Wolverines leading scorer was stuck on the bench in overtime, apparently for something that upset Coach John Beilein, as Michigan fell 70-60.
A few weeks ago I did a halfway point roundup for the Big Ten, in which I buried Wisconsin and hailed Penn State to no end. Boy, do I look like an idiot now. Since then, Penn State crumbled, while Wisconsin has done a 180.
The Nittany Lions were embarrassed by Michigan, lost at home to Wisconsin, and handily lost at Purdue. They now sit just 6-6 in conference play, and their RPI has plunged into the 80s. With road trips to Illinois and Ohio State -- not to mention hosting Illinois and Minnesota -- it would appear they are fading back into obscurity.
Something about this whole situation feels pretty familiar: Michigan, on the brink of an NCAA Tournament berth, and in need of one last signature win to all-but-lock a dance invitation, falling on its face.
It happened in 2004, when Michigan lost in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals to Illinois; it happened in 2006 when Michigan closed the season with disappointing losses against Indiana and Minnesota; it happened in 2007 when Ohio State beat Michigan twice in the season's final week.
And now it's happening again after the Wolverines coughed away a nationally-televised chance at a statement victory, and dropped a 54-42 decision to No. 9 Michigan State on Wednesday night.
There are some teams that notoriously play down to the level of their competition. Michigan's taken it in the exact opposite direction this season. The Wolverines have played incredibly well when pitted against teams ranked in the top five -- splitting with Duke, beating UCLA and now taking No. 1 Connecticut to the brink of a major, major upset on Saturday in Storrs.
Depending on where you check your lines, Michigan was around a 17-point underdog heading into this one. But the Wolverines actually led by eight in the first half and still had a four-point cushion with 14 minutes left. UConn, thanks mainly to the efforts of the monstrous Hasheem Thabeet, whose father has to be a redwood tree or something, finally stole the lead and held on for a 69-61 win.
NCAA Basketball 
Jimmy Walker, who played at Providence in the 1960s, and Jalen Rose, who played at Michigan in the 1990s, were two of the best college basketball players of their respective generations. They were also father and son, though Walker never supported Rose and died in 2007 having never met his son.
In 2008, the 
Heading into Saturday, Michigan's NCAA Tournament resume looked pretty decent, save for two key spots: the Wolverines were under .500 in the Big Ten, and had no big road victories.
First of all, allow us a moment to give Penn State some credit. They had never won 10 Big Ten games in one season until they garnered their tenth of 2009 Thursday night. They apparently have a flair for the dramatic, as they trailed by six with under two minutes left. A 
March started days ago. The Madness started Wednesday night. 
For one half, the Michigan Wolverines were all but trying on their dancing shoes. One half later, they were all but watching Wisconsin waltz into the NCAA tournament.
Michigan's NCAA tournament hopes took a big blow in Iowa City.
A few weeks ago I did a 
Something about this whole situation feels pretty familiar: Michigan, on the brink of an NCAA Tournament berth, and in need of one last signature win to all-but-lock a dance invitation, falling on its face.
There are some teams that notoriously play down to the level of their competition. Michigan's taken it in the exact opposite direction this season. The Wolverines have played incredibly well when pitted against teams ranked in the top five -- splitting with Duke, beating UCLA and now taking No. 1 Connecticut to the brink of a major, major upset on Saturday in Storrs.
