Ann Arbor, Mich. - There are so many unknowns.

If the Gophers win their last two games and their first matchup in the Big The tournament, will they get in? Do they need a Big Ten title to earn an NCAA tourney invite? It's hard to say. But they have to play like a conference tourney title is the only thing that will help them reach their goal. Michigan, the Gophers' opponent Tuesday night, has had their number for the last two seasons. I think the Gophers' new and improved zone, however, will frustrate the Wolverines, but they've been a poor road team this year. So anything might happen Tuesday night. A loss at Michigan, in my opinion, would ruin the Gophers' chances of earning an at-large berth. I think the Gophers have to win their final two and earn a signature victory in the Big Ten tournament. They'll have to win a Big Ten tourney crown without another marquee victory. The good news for the Gophers is that they're playing with more heart. Tubby Smith decided to bring in sports psychologist Jim Cremin before the Wisconsin game, and I think that helped the Gophers re-focus. Cremin said he asked players and coaches to write down their goals for the rest of the year when he met with them. Cremin said Smith's goal was to be more positive going forward. I think Smith has been more deliberate about praising players in recent games. And I think that has rubbed off on his squad. I still think Michigan is a bad matchup for the Gophers, but the visitors will play with far more confidence in the second meeting between the two teams. Prediction: Minnesota 67, Michigan 60 -I talked to a few bracketologists after the Illinois win Saturday. Here's what they had to say about Minnesota's shot at earning an at-large bid: ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi If Minnesota wins its last two and loses an opening round game in the Big Ten tourney, will they get in? Depends on who they lose to. Would likely be a "bad loss" at exactly the wrong time. Or do they need at least one win (assuming they win out) in the Big Ten tourney? Two wins? I think three more wins, in any combination, would get them in. Jerry Palm, CollegeRPI.com [Sunday's] win was nice, but they hurt Illinois more than they helped themselves. Michigan and Iowa do nothing for them. I really think it's auto-bid or nothing. BracketScience.com (Pete Tiernan) I'm more about which teams will advance in the dance once they get in than speculating on who's in/out. But I'll say this: Minnesota should win out and get at least one win in the tourney to feel like they have a shot. They've had a few quality wins (Butler, OSU, Wisc), but there's still work to do. Bracketology 101 (Chris Kulenych & Craig Gately) Even if Minnesota wins its last two games, they would still need to win at least one Big Ten tournament game to get in. If they win out, they need to get to the Big Ten semis to be a lock. If they end up as the 5 seed in the Big Ten tournament (which is the best case scenario) they would just need one win - against the 4 seed (whoever that ends up being) - to get in. If they end up as the 6 seed, they would have to win two games (vs. the 11 seed and then vs. the 3 seed) to get in. That win over the 11 seed wouldn't do anything for their at-large profile, so they'd have to win one more. In short, win out and get to the semis. That's Minnesota's recipe for a bid. -According to this ESPN report, the Big Ten paid a consultant to evaluate the potential addition of Missouri, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and/or Syracuse. This has really been a football discussion, but expansion could have a dramatic impact on basketball, too. Notre Dame makes the most sense for both sports, but I don't think it will ever happen. Missouri could add a lot to Big Ten basketball and football, too. -I recently talked to former Gophers point guard Lawrence McKenzie, who is working his way back to the court after recently undergoing hip surgery. McKenzie said his team, Smith's first Gophers squad, didn't have the same camaraderie and bond that this season's team has. McKenzie said the players on his team didn't hang out together and get to know each other the way they could have. He said he thinks off-court chemistry has helped the Gophers this year. "I think they have something that we didn't," he said. I agree 100 percent. If McKenzie's Gophers had this year's problems, they would have collapsed a long time ago. That the Gophers are still in the hunt for an at-large bid is a sign that they're still gelling off the floor, despite all of their challenges. The old phrase "winning takes care of everything" just isn't true. They're hanging around because of the bond they have away from the court.