Iowa hoops schedule taking shape

While football schedules, especially non-conference games, are known years in advance, in the world of college basketball, it’s generally a slow trickle when it comes to out of league games for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

This year it has been particularly slow as the schedule leaks out without much in terms of a confirmation. Iowa will play 31 games and we know that 20 of the regular season contests will be against Big Ten foes.

The Big Ten Conference has not announced when Iowa will play any conference games, but Hawkeye fans know who they will play twice in conference play and who they will face only once at home or on the road.

The Hawkeyes will face Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin twice. Iowa will host Nebraska, Ohio State, Rutgers and travel to Indiana, Michigan State, and Northwestern.

The other 11 are what we are waiting on as far as the schedule. Slowly, we are learning more about who the Hawkeyes will play, including some news today regarding Iowa playing in the Gavitt Games once again this year.

Per Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com, Iowa will travel to Creighton to face the Blue Jays in the Gavitt Games. The date and time of the game has yet to be determined, but generally these games are played in the second week of the college basketball season in November.

Iowa will also play in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in San Diego, called the Rady Children’s Invitational. The games take place November 23 and 24 at Lion Tree Arena in San Diego. Also playing in the event is USC, with Bronnie James on their roster, Oklahoma, and Seton Hall.

The Hawkeyes will once again play Iowa State in early December. This year the game will be played in Ames. They also have announced that there will a men’s and women’s doubleheader played December 16th in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa will host Florida A&M in that game.

That brings us to four of the eleven non-conference games. Remember, because of changes to the Big Ten TV partners, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge has come to a close.

Also, Iowa will be traveling overseas in early August. The Hawkeyes are planning to play in Spain and the incoming freshmen will be able to participate in these games.

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