Let's be honest. I really don't want to break down in great detail. Michigan's 60 to 56 win over

Minnesota on Sunday. And if you experienced any of it, listening to it, watching it on TV,

being at Chrysler Center, I'm guessing you don't want to either. It was ugly. Michigan was

fortunate to escape with a win against the league's worst team to this point. Really the one team we kind of

could place at the bottom of the Big Ten, just like Purdue is the one team. I think we can definitively

place at the top of the league. Beyond that, the Big Ten is a cluster. It is a dog fight. It is a battle

each and every night. And the reality is for Michigan that if they have this type of

performance, pretty much any other time the rest of the season, they're almost certainly not

going to win. And that's what will be interesting in the aftermath of this. Michigan sits here

19 games in at 11 and 8 overall. They're 5 and 3 in Big 10 play, which, hey, that gets you to be

in a share of second place. Purdue, far and away ahead. But if you look at the schedule,

if Michigan is to accomplish what they set out to do at the start of the season, win a

Big 10 championship, get back to the NCAA tournament, try to continue that remarkable stretch of

consecutive sweet 16s.

This is the part of the schedule.

It has to get it done.

Michigan has its best chance at its best win on its resume coming up on Thursday against

Purdue.

The boiler makers are unquestionably at this point the best team in the Big Ten. They are the

only team that you know for a fact at the end of the season. If you have a win over the boiler

makers within Big Ten play, that is going to be an anchor. It is going to be a critical part,

if not the most important part, of your NCAA tournament resume.

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