Eight Iowa men's basketball games not televised

I realize the Big Ten Network has been a financial boon for league members, and the addition of Nebraska to the conference strengthens the league in football, but both moves came with certain prices.

The BTN hasn't necessarily been wonderful for Iowa men's basketball. There have been too many 8 p.m. starting times the first years of the network, or as Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany calls it, The Network.

Oh look, Iowa hosts Purdue on Dec. 28 at ... 8:30 p.m.

But at least it's televised. Eight Hawkeye nonconference games will not be televised. You can watch them, but at btn.com. I like the Internet as much as most people, but if given a choice between watching a ballgame on my HD television or my laptop, I take the HD 100 times out of 100.

These games will be seen only on BTN.com:

Fri., Nov. 11 - Chicago State, 7 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 14 - North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m.

Thurs., Nov. 17 - Northern Illinois, 7 p.m.

Wed., Nov. 23 - Campbell, 7 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 26 - IPFW, noon

Sat., Dec. 3 - Brown, 2 p.m.

Mon., Dec. 19 - Central Arkansas, 7 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 22 - Boise State, 7:30 p.m., BTN.com

Also, the Nov. 6 exhibition game against Northwest Missouri State.

I grant you, most of those eight regular-season games are dogs. IPFW A&T, or whatever it's called, is not a threat to break into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

But, c'mon, eight games not televised? What is this, 1979?

At least Iowa's games at Northern Iowa and Iowa State are on TV this year. That's because UNI and ISU have the television rights. Drake-Iowa will be on the actual Big Ten Network, not btn.com.

Every conference game will be on one network or another. But you'll need an Internet connection to see the Campbell Camels or Brown Bears flex their basketball muscles in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.