Wisconsin-Iowa thoughts

Not one to write home about, but a good win nonetheless. A survive-and-advance feel, and any time you win on the road it's a good deal. Iowa is better than I remember, but a team we should beat.

-This one's fresh in my mind, but how embarrasingly bad was the Big Ten Network's play by play guy? Was his name Jim Kelly? If he wasn't Iowa's regular announcer then I'm not 75% bald. "JJ!" "Hello! (after Johnson's 3)" "Gorney just got run over!" "Coach Todd." Show some professionalism, fella. Or "I can't imagine why these fans are booing" after Pop turned his ankle ... maybe Bohannon's coming in and they've been booing him since he committed to UW three years ago?

-At one point I wrote down "FREE THROWS" and was sure it would cost us the game, but we were money down the stretch. Love sending J-Bo to the line in that situation, he is our closer.

-Butch's 12 were quiet, but his two 3-pointers were obviously huge. Gorney did a nice job not letting him get his feet and legs were he wanted. Conversely, if we would have lost because Seth Freaking Gorney scored 10 points, mostly on long jumpers, I would have puked.

-Really nice game by Landry, although he did mis some short ones. He's found his rhythm on offense, glad he's spending most of his time in the post. His dunk was the most explosive play by a Badger this year, and his late block on Freeman was clutch.

-Tony Freeman had a nice game, but really struggled late in the shot clock and cost Iowa in some key situations. Krabby did a great job on Johnson, who was 1-for-9, the 1 being a wide-open transition 3. As well as Krabby did on defense, he made Johnson work hard on post defense on the other end. Another game showing why Joe deserves so much praise.

-Is it me, or does Kurt Looby travel every time he touches the ball?

-At one point when we were struggling from the free throw line, Cyrus Tate, who shoots them like a blind shot putter throwing a dart covered with melted butter, was the second coming of Rick Barry and I thought we were in big trouble.

-On the postgame radio show Bo just told Lucas that Stiemsma's minutes, while not packed with stats, were big because they gave Butch and Landry legs at the end of the game. That guy might be a pretty smart coach.

-Why isn't Purdue ranked? They're 18-5, 9-1 in the Big Ten - that' ridiculous.

-Switched to the Carolina-Duke game during commercials, and guess what?!? Dickie V's back! And just in time for his twice-annual fellating of the Tar Heels and Blue Devils, baby! Just thinking about how pleasantly quiet the college basketball season has been ... no more. He did manage a plug for our boys and Bo during one soliloquy to Duke's excellence.

Now I have to watch those Indiana and Minnesota games, which I'll enjoy even more than this one.