The Hyball is a weekly basketball column.

You hear this a lot in the NFL, and it does seem to be more true than not: you are never as good as your best win but never as bad as your worst loss.

And maybe it's obvious in some ways. We are of course an average of all of our best and worst qualities.

Well, Iowa men's basketball moved that average up this week. After an 0-3 start to Big Ten play and a three-game losing streak that also included EIU, the Hawkeyes are -- don't say it don't say it don't say it -- back on track after a huge OT win against Michigan last night.

Off the dome, three potential reasons why the season has been salvaged.

1) Rebrača: Becoming more of a dude. I've loved watching Rebrača play since the moment he stepped on campus, and, lately, our man vaulted from a serviceable starter to the occasional problem. Look at this from Thursday night:

Hell yes.

Did you know he outscored Hunter Dickinson on Thursday (13 to 12)? For context, when Iowa played Michigan in March of 2022, Hunt Dick had 21 and Rebrača had 4. Tables: turned.

2. Has Patrick McCaffery's absence unlocked something? Please do not misinterpret this as hot takey "THEY'RE BETTER WITHOUT THE GUY WHO IS CLEARLY GOOD" sentiment. It's not that. But the truth is when someone is out of a rotation, minutes get redistributed, which creates opportunities for others to step up. And, in this last little stretch, that stepping up has come from...

3. "Payton Sandfort had found his stroke in Piscataway!"

Why is Piscataway always funny? Is it the word itself? Just the general association with Rutgers? I smirk nearly every time I hear it. What wasn't funny was Sandfort going off. Seeing someone who is obviously great at something break out of a slump is invigorating as a sports fan; can't imagine what it is like for the actual player.

Sanfort was clearly in a funk to start league play, but he kept at it, and the results speak for themselves. He finished the Michigan game with 26 points, just one behind Kris Murray.

Yeah, this is all pretty great.

"Everything is dishwasher safe if you don't care enough about it."

1/5 - Iowa 91, Indiana 89: Good lord, what a comeback. Third largest in school history feels about right. Iowa covering the 2.5 spread after being down one million points was probably my favorite part.

1/8 - Iowa 76, Rutgers 65: I remember this game being closer. But what I really remember -- other than Sandfort coming to *life* -- was Rebrača playing all 40 minutes. What a dude.

1/12 - Iowa 93, Michigan 84 (OT): From my perspective a fan of both teams, this was a pretty ideal Iowa-Michigan game. Teams traded haymakers for a while, multiple players set career highs, my Iowa peeps got to see the Jett show, and we even got some free basketball. Only real complaint is how much of a dud the OT itself kind was. That Pay Pay four point play sunk Michigan.

1/15 - Iowa vs. Maryland: Thought we'd catch the Terps in a more reeling state, but they took out ranked Ohio State earlier this week.

1/18 - Iowa vs. Northwestern: Chris Street Remembrance Day. <3

This Kate Martin nutmeg give-and-go (4:28 mark) was absolutely incredible.

Honestly not sure I've ever seen that on a basketball court. Took me a solid five watches to realize Monika was even involved with the play.

This week, I published my favorite songs of 2022 list here. Give it a whirl.

(And if reading even more of my rantings is not your thing, got a link to the Spotify playlist as well.)

Probably not needed this week. I'll use my time to say Harbaugh disappoints me in perpetuity.

At what point did you realize the natty was over? Will you allow me to say 17-7? If not then, then maybe here:

Yeah, definitely here.

* * *

Also, sick:

And we'll end this section here:

It is here I'd like to point out: THE SCORE WAS 3-2. Nothing of consequence had happened! How can you get this mad this quickly?! Izzo finds a way...

Get well soon, 22.

Bobby Loesch is a weekly contributor to Go Iowa Awesome. Find him on Twitter @bobbystompy or email at bobbyloesch [at] gmail.com.