Iowa freshman forward Tyler Smith will play Wednesday night when the Hawkeyes host Northwestern. Smith dislocated the little figure on his shooting hand in a loss at Wisconsin and coach Steve Alford says x-rays were negative. Alford says the finger got dislocated and was popped back in and will be sore.

Alford says Smith will have to tape the finger to another finger, and that will make it uncomfortable because it’s his shooting hand. Alford says Smith will play that way the next week.

Alford says it’s hard to play the game when you have tape on your fingers, because you use your hands so much. Alford says Smith will hopefully be able to adjust to the tape in practice.

The Hawkeyes are 6-5 in the Big Ten and 14-11 overall.