Why this upcoming stretch means everything

This is it folks. This right here is the season.

Not to be too hyperbolic about things, but as Little Carmine would say, Iowa basketball is at the precipice of an enormous crossroads. The next couple games truly do feel like everything for the Hawkeyes.

This season has been plagued by extreme inconsistency for Fran McCaffery’s men so far. At times they’ve looked like typical contenders, beating down on Iowa State and a Clemson team that is currently leading the ACC. The team has also found itself on the unfortunate end of some bad losses, including that 92-83 loss to Eastern Illinois.

Many looked ready to pack it in just days ago, the Hawkeyes dropping four of their last five, including three losses in the Big Ten. Just as you started to write them off, however, Iowa has roared to back-to-back Big Ten wins over Indiana and Rutgers.

The Hawkeyes currently sit 10th in the conference, upon closer examination, that number sounds way worse than the situation truly is. Not really much separates the second ranked Northwestern Wildcats from second-to-last ranked Illinois, everyone in between neck and neck in terms of record. That secondary spot behind a Purdue team that looks like national contenders on the large shoulders of Zach Edey is ripe for the taking.

This is where Iowa needs to take it.

No more inconsistency. No more shooting droughts where the squad looks like a cavalry of Ben Simmons’. This is the time to lock in and prove why Iowa is a tournament team. They have the perfect opportunity coming up, with quality conference opponents in Michigan, Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan State, and a rematch against Rutgers on the horizon.

Every team coming up is a formidable opponent, and would certainly look great in the win column for Iowa. That’s the benefit of playing in such a prestigious conference like the Big Ten, there’s always opportunity to rattle off statement victories.

If Iowa wants to make a statement and declare themselves as contenders once again though, now has to be the time to do so.