The Hlog

Disregard the entry below this one

Some dope hijacked the Hlog and forecasted an Iowa win over Wisconsin in men's basketball Sunday.

Whether that was a put-on artist or a basketball bonehead, I haven't a clue. ... OK, that part about not having a clue is honest and accurate.

The thing is, the Hawkeyes did everything it needed to do to upset the second-ranked Badgers. They played sturdy defense, they took care of the ball, they hit the boards hard against a big team. All things considered, it was one of their better games. Except that the Iowa wrestling team might have shot as well.

Iowa shot a bone-chilling 28 percent from the field, and that's the name of that tune. Kurt Looby had the same number of baskets (three) as usual scoring leaders Tyler Smith and Adam Haluska. Looby used three shots to get his three hoops. Smith required 17, Haluska 18.

At halftime and after the game, chitchat among Iowa press mopes was to discuss whether Wisconsin was really the second-best team in the U.S.A. The consensus answer was no, that the Badgers would have a rough go of it against a North Carolina or Florida or Kansas or UCLA in the NCAA tournament. But even if that's a fair assessment, so what? Wisconsin is 7-0 in the Big Ten, 21-1 overall, and has wins at places (Marquette, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa) where visitors don't often emerge with smiles. That's a veteran, tough, smart, talented, well-coached team.

Wisconsin isn't a SportsCenter "Top Ten Plays of the Day" type of squad. It is the type of club, though, that basketball coaches at all levels would sit back and enjoy watching and using as good examples for their teams.

Jason Bohannon of Linn-Mar went to Wisconsin. Seeing how he seems like a really bright young guy, I'm guessing he knew exactly what he was getting into. 

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