Jan. 23, 2007

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -Michigan has won enough games by late January to make an NCAA tournament bid a realistic possibility. Then again, it was last year, too.

The Wolverines (16-4, 4-1 Big Ten) seem to be set up to play in the NCAAs for the first time in nine years. They were in a similar position about a year ago, with a 16-3 record and a spot in The Associated Press poll for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

Then, the Wolverines collapsed.

"The NCAA tournament is our goal and we've stated that from Day 1, but we can't focus on that." - Tommy Amaker, University of Michigan head coach

Due to injuries and poor play, Michigan went 2-7 down the stretch, including a loss to Minnesota in the first round of the conference tournament. Its 18 wins and .500 mark in the Big Ten wasn't good enough to be selected for the NCAA tournament.

The Wolverines made it to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament last year and finished with a 22-11 record, but they hope to avoid a late-season slide this year.

"You would like to think, after going through that experience, we would be in a better position to deal with it," coach Tommy Amaker said. "There's nothing you can do about injuries, but what we can control is working hard today so that we're better tomorrow and that we keep improving down the stretch."

Guard Dion Harris said last year's slump will help him lead the Wolverines over the next two months.

"It just makes you more cautious and as a senior, it makes me not let a guy let down as far as the intensity level," Harris said. "It starts in practice. We have to make sure everybody is on the same page going down the stretch, knowing what happened last year and how quickly things can turnaround."

Michigan will have a hard time keeping up its pace in the Big Ten.

The Wolverines play at No. 2 Wisconsin on Wednesday night and at No. 23 Indiana on Saturday. They have road games against No. 5 Ohio State, Michigan State and Illinois next month.

While Michigan has won 16 games, some players paused when trying to identify its signature win of the season so far. Even Amaker acknowledged the team has essentially met expectations.

"We've done what we're supposed to do up to this point," he said. "People probably think we're supposed to lose these upcoming road games. I look at that as an opportunity to be aggressive, let it all hang out and see what happens.

"I don't think any game is going to make or break us. Very few of us have had success on the road, but we would love to make something happen Wednesday night."

Harris would, too, knowing the Wolverines have lost their last five games at Wisconsin and have struggled elsewhere on the road during his career.

A win over the Badgers would pull Michigan into a tie for first place.

"It would be big as a program and a team," he said.

Michigan fans have been looking at the rest of the schedule, trying to determine how many games the Wolverines need to win to make the NCAA field.

Amaker has not.

"I would've thought if you were 8-8 in the No. 1 league in America, like we were last year, that would've been good enough. So, it's a waste of time for us to think in terms of how many wins we need," he said. "The NCAA tournament is our goal and we've stated that from Day 1, but we can't focus on that."