IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa, in conjunction with the Big Ten Conference, announced on Friday its 2019-20 men’s basketball schedule. The schedule includes 16 regular season home games, including nine weekend games on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Game times, along with television and streaming information for each game, will be released in September.
Fran McCaffery has put together one of Iowa’s most challenging schedules entering his 10th season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Iowa will play 14 regular season games against teams ranked in the Top 50 of the NCAA’s NET Rankings from a year ago.
“I am continuously amazed by the support that we receive from our fans at home and on the road,” said McCaffery. “Our home crowds were phenomenal last year, which was evident in our ability to win games and ultimately advance in the NCAA Tournament. We need that similar support this year. It will be a fun team to watch.”
The Hawkeyes will tipoff the 2019-20 season on Friday, Nov. 8, against SIU-Edwardsville in Iowa City. That contest will be the first of five consecutive home dates to begin the season. Iowa will also challenge DePaul as part of the Gavitt Games (Nov. 11), Oral Roberts (Nov. 15), North Florida (Nov. 21) and Cal Poly (Nov. 24).
Iowa will face the NCAA runner-up a season ago, Texas Tech, in the first round of the Las Vegas Invitational on Thanksgiving (Nov. 28). Depending on the first round results, Iowa will take on either Creighton or San Diego State the next day on Nov. 29 in the consolation or championship game. Tickets are available for purchase at the Orleans Arena box office or online at orleansarena.com. Last November, Iowa beat Oregon and Connecticut to win the 2K Empire Classic in New York City.
Iowa will potentially play seven straight games against teams who finished in the Top 100 of the NCAA’s NET Rankings between Nov. 28 and Dec. 21. After returning from Las Vegas, Iowa will travel East to compete against Syracuse in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 3. Iowa’s first two league games will come against Michigan in Ann Arbor on Dec. 6, and home versus Minnesota on Dec. 9. The Hawkeyes conclude their nonconference slate at Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series (Dec. 12), a neutral site game in Chicago versus Cincinnati (Dec. 21) in the Chicago Legends, and home against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29).
The Hawkeyes will play their fourth neutral site game on Saturday, Jan. 4, when Big Ten play resumes after the New Year, with a contest against Penn State at the historic Palestra in Philadelphia. The Palestra has hosted more basketball games than any other facility in college basketball. McCaffery, a Philadelphia native, was a three-year lettermen at Penn and played inside the Palestra from 1980-82. This will mark Iowa’s first appearance in the Palestra since competing in the Quaker City Tournament in December, 1961. This will be the second time in four seasons that Penn State will host a Big Ten opponent in Philadelphia (Michigan State in 2017).
“We’re excited to go there and play in that facility in front of a packed house,” McCaffery said. “This will be a great opportunity in a great atmosphere. I grew up going to the Palestra every weekend with my parents and brother, and then had the opportunity to practice and play there pretty much every day when I went to school there. I’m excited about the opportunity.”
Iowa will have Big Ten home contests against Maryland (Jan. 10), Michigan (Jan. 17), Rutgers (Jan. 22), Wisconsin (Jan. 27), Illinois (Feb. 2), Nebraska (Feb. 8), Ohio State (Feb. 20), Penn State (Feb. 29), and Purdue (March 3). Games against Michigan, Rutgers, and Wisconsin will be three straight home games over a 10-day stretch.
The Hawkeyes will play road games at Nebraska (Jan. 7), Northwestern (Jan. 14), Maryland (Jan. 30), Purdue (Feb. 5), Indiana (Feb. 13), Minnesota (Feb. 16), Michigan State (Feb. 25), and Illinois (March 8).
The Big Ten Conference Tournament (March 11-15) will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Fans interested in requesting season ticket information can visit hawkeyesports.com/tickets.