Bison Tonight. Longhorns Thursday.

It’s a big week for Iowa basketball.

The men take on North Dakota State at 7:00 tonight inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. But it’s Thursday night’s game that’s drawing all the attention.

The Hawkeyes will face the tenth-ranked Texas Longhorns at Madison Square Garden (6:00, ESPN2). It will be only the third game of the year for both teams, and it will be a huge test for both squads. It’s hard to judge how good a team really is when they’re blowing out cupcakes, but it’s games like Thursday night that serve as a barometer.

If Iowa loses Thursday night, it’s not the end of the world. If they win? Let the hype begin.