I stopped doing this bit once the nonconference season ended for Iowa’s men’s basketball team, because the rum-dums were in the rear-view mirror.

But they weren’t. Tonight Iowa, which can’t do any bragging of its own with a 2-5 Big Ten record, hosts 0-8 Penn State.

Penn State point guard Tim Frazier was a preseason All-Big Ten selection, but he ruptured an Achilles tendon in November and was lost for the rest of the season. He averaged 18.8 points and a league-high 6.2 assists per game last season. A big loss, to say the least.

Action from Penn State's 72-49 loss at Indiana last week (AP photo)

The Nittany Lions went 8-4 against a thoroughly unimpressive nonconference schedule. Then came the big boys. And Penn State has lost by less than 10 points just twice in their eight conference defeats. Its average margin of defeat in league play is 14.5 points.

Penn State is last in the league in field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal defense, turnover margin. Hey, it’s in last place.

Iowa has no choice. It must win this game. If it doesn’t, it would be the basketball equivalent of the football team’s home loss to Central Michigan.

Quick, name Penn State’s coach.

Quick, name any Penn State men’s basketball coach from any time in history.

I’m just curious if you could. Could you?