Iowa coach Todd Lickliter wasn’t on the bench Sunday when his team played its only exhibition game.

The second-year Hawkeye coach was at home dealing with a case of the flu. Assistant coaches Joel Cornette, LaVall Jordan and Chad Walthall ran the team in Lickliter’s absence.

Looking for an idea of where the Big Ten fits in from a national perspective in basketball this season? The Associated Press released its preseaon all-American basketball team on Monday and not only were no Big Ten players on the actual team, none even received a vote to be included.

Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, Stephen Curry of Davidson, Luke Harangody of Notre Dame, Darren Collison of UCLA and Blake Griffin of Oklahoma deservedly made the cut for the team.

There was one former Big Ten player who did receive a vote. Former Hawkeye Tyler Smith of Tennessee was listed among those receiving votes from the 72-member panel that selected the team.

Early exits for the NBA and balance among the Big Ten’s top teams has as much to do with the results as anything.

We’re breaking down the Big Ten on a day-by-day basis at Hawkmania beginning this week, with Illinois, Indiana and Iowa filling the first three slots on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They’ll be followed by Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin in a series that runs through Nov. 14.