The Hyball is a weekly basketball column.

You're cheating.

Your favorite team plays beautiful basketball, is winning a ton, and features a generational superstar but, still, those eyes stray from time to time.

You know LSU opened the season as favorites to repeat their 2022-23 championship. You had to know.

You most definitely know they got a bit punked on opening night.

First women's champ to lose their opener since '95. Did you know that?

What you probably don't know is why Angel Reese missed those four games shortly after. But that's not your fault. That's because head coach Kim Mulkey answers to nobody. You know you don't like that.

(And I don't either.)

Less than two months later, even with Reese back, those aforementioned natty odds shifted yet again.

"Wait, LSU's chances got worse... but Iowa's did, too?!"

And this is where you can get a little into-the-weeds with this stuff. It reminds me of the quote "You can obsess about death when you don't have to worry about dying." Like a person with a perfectly manicured lawn who gets annoyed to see a neighbor with a weedy backyard.

Because right now, in Iowa City, the garden's being tended to admirably. And when your house is in order, that's the right time to look at others; to compare, to contrast.

Did you know South Carolina has broken 100 points five times this year? But Iowa's 'only' done that twice!

Did you know UConn forward Azzi Fudd is out for the year with a torn ACL? Yeah, that really sucks... Hannah Stuelke was hurt for a little bit too, but she's working her way back.

It almost feels less like people and more like pieces on a chessboard. Think: Game Of Thrones -- before it got shitty.

In the end, we creep and we track and we monitor and our eyes drift toward the bottom line to look at the scores because it is a luxury problem. It's easier to take stock of other teams when yours has so little to worry about.

Just remember, though: those competitors for the title are out there taking stock of Iowa, too.

“It's humbling to learn that existence doesn't revolve around us; worse to learn it revolves around nothing.”

2/10 - No. 4 Iowa 87, Wisconsin 65: I messed up seven days ago and forgot to write the "Next Week" preview in this column. Not the end of the world, by any means, but it did bum me out when, on Wednesday, I realized Iowa was only going to play one game from last Thursday to this Thursday. Love this team; could watch 'em play every damn day.

Wisconsin notes...

- While the game was tight for a while, it was probably/mostly a byproduct of Iowa going 0/10 from three to start; almost like viewers kind of had to slightly suffer to enjoy the second half that much more...

- Fantastic atmosphere at the Kohl Center (never thought I'd type that sentence)...

- I know Hannah's been back, but this one felt back-back; she finished with 21 points and took the second most shots (behind You Know Who)...

- Thought Taylor McCabe looked a little lost (or maybe 'inexperienced' is a better word) trying to find her way in the offense at times and was nearly positive she finished with a goose egg... but that's why we have box scores; the Hyball fav finished with six points in 12 minutes... on 100% shooting (2/2, but still the best Mc-thing to happen this week)...

- Not sure where we collectively stand on Caitlin Clark playing in garbage time (I'm all for stat padding and getting reps with the younger group, but what's the line, you know?), but seeing her and Kate Martin go down with (hopefully minor) injuries made me want everyone put in bubble wrap until early March.

2/16 - Iowa (4) vs. Cleveland State:

1) Ugh, that is such a bummer.

2) What a damn name! Most floored by a cool Leo in a name since I found out Usain Bolt's middle name was "St. Leo." It's true.

Have a friend, an Iowa alum, I'd call perpetually reasonable... who called for Fran McCaffery's firing after getting waxed by Michigan. I don't know -- I'm not at all there yet. Maybe it's finally getting what we wanted with Brian Ferentz, maybe it's the team being young, maybe it's the Garza-Murray-Murray run, maybe it's the women's team... but we've had it pretty good lately.

Still, you want to see something to make you think it's not going to be a wire-to-wire year in the Big Ten's basement. I'm probably a little more bullish than most, but making the NCAA tournament seems like a steep mountain to climb at this point.

...the one critical thing I'll say is this did not feel "Dunk City" worthy, at all.

The days aren't gone, they were only yesterday...

This song references the '90s more than a Nebraska fan after a few pints.

Kinda feel like the Juwan Howard strength coach altercation should be a bigger story. Another coach, and I'd say meh, but the man already has a zero tolerance policy he's operating under. If there was real fire with this smoke, that would be it, you know? That said, it's sounding like it was less physical and more verbal, but the university's silence is keeping a bit of a lid on things.

Somewhat heartbroken to see Riley Leonard decide to transfer; thought he was pretty sick last year. That said, a Duke-Notre Dame transfer is painfully on brand for all parties involved.

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Also, somehow didn't know this happened and now feel like a bad CFB fan.

Is this a real player, or AI?

<3 <3 <3

Can't stop watching; both the clip itself and anybody discussing What It All Means. It got so bad, I almost watched Chris Broussard. So that was the line.

The trophies and accolades are fine, but Caitlin Clark made the Kohl Center fun and warm; there's another seismic bullet point on her legendary resume.

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