{image1}February may be the shortest month, but it was also the cruelest for the state's three leading men's college basketball teams.

As January closed, Wisconsin was 5-1 in conference play and in position to capture its third consecutive Big 10 regular season championship. UW-Milwaukee (10-0 in conference play) was cruising toward its first Horizon League title. And Marquette scored its biggest victory of the season on Jan. 31 at Louisville, one that was supposed to ignite an NCAA Tourney dash.

But the new month ushered in unexpected results. UW lost three of its next six games and dropped into third place in the Big 10, though consecutive home wins last week stemmed the tide. The Badgers now need two road wins this week for a chance to share the conference title with Michigan State and/or Illinois.

UW-Milwaukee clinched its first conference championship with a win over Cleveland State Saturday, but the Panthers suffered three conference losses in February, in addition to a nationally televised "Bracket Buster" defeat at home against Manhattan.

Then there is Marquette -- and the Golden Eagles have suffered the most. Just 72 hours after the thrilling win at Freedom Hall, MU lost a stunner to TCU at the Bradley Center. Tom Crean's team followed that disappointment by losing to DePaul, Memphis, St. Louis and UAB throughout the month, earning only middling wins against South Florida and Tulane. MU is in ninth place entering the final week of conference play.

The scenarios stand in stark contrast to a year ago, when the Badgers charged to a conference title with four wins to close the schedule, UWM was playing its best basketball as the Horizon League tournament arrived, and Marquette was on its way to dethroning perennial CUSA champion Cincinnati -- and earning a No. 3 seed in the 65-team NCAA field.

Of course, February's importance is transient. In college hoops, it's all about March.

The Badgers were exposed as a one-dimensional unit last month. At home, they remain among the country's best teams; on the road, they are barely average. Losses to Northwestern (69-51), Illinois (65-57) and Michigan (71-59) -- and a narrow win at Iowa (54-52) -- are the primary reason ESPN.com "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi forecasts the Badgers as a No. 6 seed in the Big Dance. With last week's RPI rank of 26, even that may be a reach.

However, if Bo Ryan can coax the Badgers to play the patient, efficient offense so often on display at the Kohl Center in East Lansing and Bloomington this week, the Big 10 title (and a 4 or 5 seed in the tourney) are not out of reach.

In their road losses this season, the Badgers have scored 67 (in OT), 56, 51, 51, 57 and 59 points. Overall, UW averages more than 68 per game, so why the road struggles? Quick shots, a lack of ball movement and far fewer trips to the foul line, for starters. Buck those trends, and Bucky may be able to win a game or two in both the Big 10 and NCAA tourneys.

As UWM was to Horizon League play in 2003, UIC is in 2004. UWM edged Illinois-Chicago by a game for the regular season title (they split two games head-to-head), but watch out for Jimmy Collins' Flames in this weekend's league championship.

Both teams have byes into the league semifinals -- a just reward for small conference leaders who face must-win scenarios in their league tourneys -- and figure to meet next Tuesday at 8 p.m. for the title ... if UWM can defeat a likely Detroit/Wright State winner on Saturday evening.

But the Panthers are not the same team that began league play with 10 straight wins. UWM followed an embarrassing loss at Youngstown State on Feb. 14 with a 17-point pasting at Butler (admittedly, a tough team despite the Bulldogs' down year) and the home loss to Manhattan.

Saturday's conference-clinching win over doormat Cleveland State helped stabilize things. But Bruce Pearl needs a healthy Dylan Page (ankle) and a return to the team's frenetic, confident style in order to beat back UIC, which has 10 consecutive wins entering the tournament.

For Tom Crean and Marquette, the NCAA Tournament is more about reminiscences than anticipation. Barring a very unlikely run of four straight CUSA tourney wins in four days (beginning Wed., March 10), the Golden Eagles will become the first Final Four team since Minnesota in 1998 to miss the field the following year.

Travis Diener and his teammates have remained steadfast about making an NCAA run, and they staunched February's hemorrhage with a road win Thursday at South Florida. But UAB's blowout win Saturday signaled an end to Marquette's realistic tourney hopes. CUSA is simply too deep to pull off a long tourney run, and the Golden Eagles would need to reach the title game at a bare minimum.

Of course, it could still happen. But Marquette would need the following: 1) Better defense -- The volume of easy hoops by MU opponents has been a bugaboo all season; 2) Consistent shooting from Steve Novak -- The sharpshooter hasn't been himself since his fabulous 30-point performance at Louisville. 3) The "good" Scott Merritt -- The senior had his best game of the year at USF (17 points, 15 rebounds), but his inconsistent play has plagued the team all season.

Two potential NCAA bids still signify a good year for local college hoops. Hopefully the ides of March -- in this case, Selection Sunday -- turn out to be friendlier than February.

Elsewhere: UW-Stevens Point clinched a berth in the Division III NCAA Tournament by defeating UW-Platteville for the WIAC post-season title Saturday. First-round NCAA play begins this week. To follow the action, check out www.d3hoops.com.