An injury brings Badgers closer to earth and Iowa

Is Tuesday night's game at Minnesota important for the Iowa men's basketball team?

Well, duh. It's a Big Ten game. You only get 18. Simple math, right?

But let's say the Hawkeyes keep the Gophers (0-4 in the Big Ten) reeling and bounce back themselves after their 75-61 home loss to Michigan State last Thursday.

That would put Iowa at 3-1 in the Big Ten and still tied for the fewest losses in league play. Then what? Well, then a home game with Ohio State Saturday. Iowa has already defeated the Buckeyes in Columbus, not that it matters. The Hawkeyes won at OSU last year, then fell to the Buckeyes in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

But still, win in Minnesota, and it puts 4-1 in the Big Ten squarely on the table. Then what?

Then Iowa goes to Wisconsin. A sure loss, right? Well, maybe not. You see, Badger starting point guard Traevon Jackson fractured his right foot in his team's 67-62 upset defeat at Rutgers Sunday night. Jackson will be out several weeks.

Wisconsin wasn't a deep team in the first place. Without Jackson, the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten title is a good bit more vulnerable.

OK, this isn't my first rodeo. Iowa has its hands full at Minnesota Tuesday, then it has its hands full Saturday against Ohio State. But if it wants to take a real stab at sitting atop the league standings, the next three games represent opportunity. Seizing it, as the Hawkeyes learned against Michigan State, requires a lot more than talking and dreaming.