Aug. 23, 2006
IOWA CITY –
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A home schedule that includes non-conference games with intra-state rivals Iowa State and Northern Iowa highlights Iowa’s 2006-07 men’s basketball schedule. The schedule includes as many as seven possible national television appearances.
Iowa won all 17 home games in 2005-06 while posting a 25-9 overall record. Iowa tied for second in the Big Ten regular season standings and won the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes are seeking a seventh consecutive winning season. Iowa has won 18 straight games in Carver-Hawkeye Arena over the past two seasons and will begin the season with the third longest home winning streak in the nation.
Iowa’s perfect home record last season was the first ever for the Hawkeyes in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which opened in 1983. Iowa had not completed a perfect home season since 1966. The upcoming schedule includes 16 home dates, including the season opener November 13 against The Citadel.
Following the opening home game, Iowa plays five straight road contests before hosting the Hawkeye Challenge on Dec. 1-2. Iowa will face Texas-Pan American in the first round of that event, with Coppin State meeting LaSalle in the opening game on Friday evening.
The five road games in November include participation in the Paradise Jam Tournament in the Virgin Islands (Nov. 17-21) and road games at Arizona State (Nov. 25) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 29). Iowa will meet Toledo in the first round of the Paradise Jam, which also includes Alabama, College of Charleston, Middle Tennessee State, Villanova, Virginia Commonwealth and Xavier.
Beginning with the Hawkeye Challenge, Iowa plays seven of eight December games in Iowa City, with the lone exception being a Dec. 16 contest at Drake. Northern Iowa visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 5 and the Hawkeyes host Iowa State on Dec. 8 before breaking for finals. The final three non-conference home games are against Georgia State, Texas Southern and Cornell University.
“We have another strong schedule,” said Iowa Coach Steve Alford. “We’ve not had this type of November schedule (five straight road games) since we’ve been here. Competing at the Paradise Jam and being on the road for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, it just worked out that way. We’ll be able to build a lot of chemistry on the road early in the season.”
Iowa opens Big Ten play at home, hosting Michigan State Jan. 4 on ESPN. Iowa closes the regular season by hosting Illinois on Saturday, March 3. In between, the Hawkeyes also host Minnesota, Penn State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Northwestern and Purdue. Ohio State and Michigan do not visit Iowa City, while the Hawkeyes do not travel to Northwestern or Purdue.
Along with the Michigan State game, Iowa is also on ESPN for both meetings with Indiana and the contest at Wisconsin. Iowa will host the Badgers on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 28. Iowa’s contest at Penn State could also be selected by ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Television scheduling for the Paradise Jam has not yet been finalized.
“Our team did a great job of protecting the home court last season. We made it a priority from the time we started practice,” added Alford. “With less veterans on this team, we will have to again establish that mindset from the start. We are very excited about this year’s schedule and are looking forward to the challenges it presents.”
Iowa’s first public appearance is Saturday Oct. 28 at the annual Black and Gold Blowout. The single exhibition game is Nov. 10 against Buena Vista University, the 2006 Iowa Conference Tournament champion.