http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=pf-forde_midwest_region_best_worst_cases_031412

13. Ohio

Best case: With normally condescending Ohio State fans suddenly rushing to support the Bobcats, John Groce’s team reprises first-round walloping of Georgetown in 2010 by bum-rushing Michigan. The unlikely hero: Ivo Baltic. He’s made one 3-pointer since Christmas, a span of 22 games, and it happened to be the final and clinching Ohio basket in MAC tournament title game. Emboldened, Baltic becomes Jimmer Fredette, dropping “3s” on bewildered Michigan, whose scouting report does not list the forward as a perimeter threat. Baltic keeps it up in the next round in a victory over USF, becoming an instant March sensation. The jig’s up in the Sweet 16 against North Carolina, but by then Baltic is an Ohio U. legend who never will have to buy another beer in Athens. And they do like their beer in Athens.

Worst case: A team that lost by 13 points to Eastern Michigan (No. 261 in the Sagarin ratings) isn’t quite up for the challenge of the Big Ten tri-champions. The Wolverines don’t surrender open looks to the scatter-shooting Bobcats, who connect on just 31 percent of their field-goal attempts for the game and are beaten by 20. Baltic goes 0-of-6 from the perimeter. Ohio State fans quickly revert to condescension mode toward their Bobcats brethren. Much beer is sullenly consumed in Athens.

4. Michigan

Best case: The Wolverines go to the Final Four – and actually get to keep the banner up this time since Ed Martin is no longer with us. Coach John Beilein and his rolled shirt cuffs have had a lot of NCAA success at three schools but never have crossed that final threshold to the last weekend of the season until now. His funky zone and perimeter-based offense befuddle Ohio and Temple, then the Wolverines have an epic 3-point shooting night to take down North Carolina. In the regional final, Michigan out-backdoors Georgetown to reach New Orleans, then makes the title game in the same building where Chris Webber called timeout 19 years earlier. The Wolverines lose to Kentucky but nobody complains – especially not with Ohio State and Michigan State both losing early. Then Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. both stay in school.

Worst case: The Wolverines do their customary abysmal job rebounding against Ohio, then compound the problem by failing to make any 3-pointers and get smoked in transition by the Bobcats. Burke and Hardaway combine to go 2-of-14 from 3-point range. Nobody else steps up. The offseason arrives abruptly in Ann Arbor – but not in Columbus or East Lansing, as Ohio State beats Michigan State in the national title game while the Wolverines watch. Burke and Hardaway go pro, and Denard Robinson asks to be switched to wide receiver full-time.