Video: Highlights from Iowa men’s basketball open summer workout #2
Video: Highlights from Iowa men’s basketball open summer workout on July 15, 2024.
IOWA CITY — Iowa men’s basketball‘s full 2024-25 regular-season schedule is finally here.
After previously announcing non-conference opponents, Iowa’s Big Ten schedule was released Thursday, allowing the puzzle pieces for the upcoming season’s slate to fall into place.
Here is a look at the Hawkeyes‘ opponents, along with the dates and locations of the matchups.
*Bold indicates Big Ten matchup
- Exhibition vs. Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 25 (Iowa City)
- Texas A&M Commerce on Nov. 4 (Iowa City)
- Southern on Nov. 7 (Iowa City)
- South Dakota on Nov. 12 (Iowa City)
- Washington State on Nov. 15 (Vibrant Arena in Moline, Illinois)
- Rider University on Nov. 19 (Iowa City)
- Utah State on Nov. 22 (T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri)
- USC Upstate on Nov. 26 (Iowa City)
- Northwestern on Dec. 3 (Iowa City)
- at Michigan on Dec. 7 (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
- Iowa State on Dec. 12 (Iowa City)
- University of New Orleans on Dec. 15 (Iowa City)
- University of Utah on Dec. 21 (Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
- University of New Hampshire on Dec. 30 (Iowa City)
- at Wisconsin on Jan. 3 (Madison, Wisconsin)
- Nebraska on Jan. 7 (Iowa City)
- Indiana on Jan. 11 (Iowa City)
- at USC on Jan. 14 (Los Angeles, California)
- at UCLA on Jan. 17 (Los Angeles, California)
- Minnesota on Jan. 21 (Iowa City)
- Penn State on Jan. 24 (Iowa City)
- at Ohio State on Jan. 27 (Columbus, Ohio)
- Purdue on Feb. 4 (Iowa City)
- Wisconsin on Feb. 8 (Iowa City)
- at Rutgers on Feb. 12 (Piscataway, New Jersey)
- at Maryland on Feb. 16 (College Park, Maryland)
- Oregon on Feb. 19 (Iowa City)
- Washington on Feb. 22 (Iowa City)
- at Illinois on Feb. 25 (Champaign, Illinois)
- at Northwestern on Feb. 28 (Evanston, Illinois)
- Michigan State on March 6 (Iowa City)
- at Nebraska on March 9 (Lincoln, Nebraska)
- Big Ten Tournament on March 12-16 (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Times and TV information is still to be announced.
On paper, the quartet of non-conference opponents that sticks out is Iowa State, Washington State, Utah and Utah State — the latter three of which are on neutral courts (though Iowa should have a heavy presence at least for the Washington State game).
As far as conference play goes, this is the first season with the four former Pac-12 teams — Washington, Oregon, UCLA and USC — joining the fray. Iowa gets each of those teams once during the upcoming regular season. The Hawkeyes host Washington and Oregon while having road matchups with UCLA and USC.
Iowa plays two Big Ten opponents before the calendar turns to 2025. The Hawkeyes open conference play this season against Northwestern on Dec. 3 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. That’s followed by a road trip to Michigan. The Wolverines are entering their first season under former Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May.
Following those two matchups, Iowa hosts Iowa State, making for what could be a revealing three-game stretch in December.
There are a couple of notable breaks in Iowa’s Big Ten schedule once the new year hits. After a Jan. 27 game at Ohio State, Iowa doesn’t play again until Feb. 4. The next extended hiatus doesn’t come until after the Feb. 28 game against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes’ game following that is on March 6.
Iowa has a road-heavy finish. Five of the Hawkeyes’ last eight regular season contests, including three of the last four, come away from Iowa City.
The Big Ten Tournament, held in Indianapolis in 2025, is also changing this season. It will now feature a 15-team field, meaning that three programs will not qualify. Previously, every team made the tournament. The winner of the single-elimination event earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Here is a more succinct breakdown of Iowa’s single- and double-play opponents in the Big Ten this season.
- Home only: Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Washington
- Away only: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC
- Home and away: Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin
After a season in which Iowa missed the Big Dance, there is cautious optimism surrounding the Hawkeyes entering the 2024-25 campaign. Iowa returns a big three of Payton Sandfort, Owen Freeman and Josh Dix, plus a handful of other contributors. Coach Fran McCaffery has also brought in two scholarship freshmen and two transfer-portal additions, highlighted by former Manhattan standout Seydou Traore.
Big Ten Media Days, held in early October, is another sign that the basketball season is on the horizon.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
