Out of nowhere

 Likely reactions to Indiana ambushing No. 4 Iowa last night ... by 12 ... in Iowa City:

1. "Wait ... what?"

2. "Wait ... WHAT??"

3. "Hey, isn't this the Indiana team everyone was telling us about in the preseason? Where do you suppose it's been?"

4. "Is that ... is that Robert Phinisee?"

5. "Where are the sadsacks who've lost eight straight to Purdue, and who's holding them hostage?"

6. "No ... no, that's not Indiana. That's some other team."

7. "That Archie. Does he have Fran McCaffrey's number, or what?"

And last but not least ...

8. "Indiana turned a corner last night, and gave us a peek at what Archie Miller's been telling us was there since the season began."

I don't know if some scribe wrote the latter after Indiana 81, Iowa 69. But I suspect someone wrote something along those lines.

Me?

I say it was a huge win for the Indianas, a season-defining win maybe. The Hoosiers put four players in double figures. They made 8-of-17 from the 3-point line -- and, no, that's not a typo. They outscored Iowa 50-32 in the second half, and that's not a typo, either.'

But the problem with college basketball is there's always a next game, and that game has the potential to define a season, too. So you can hope your Hoosiers have at last got their legs under them if you're an Indiana fan, but remember this: The next game is in 48 hours.

This time it's Rutgers, at 2 p.m. Sunday, in the Hall. And then a roadie at No. 7 Michigan a week from tomorrow.

That's the thing about corners, see. You turn one, there's always another waiting.