Aug. 19, 2009
Complete Release and Iowa 2009-10 Big Ten Conference Schedule
2009-10 Composite Big Ten Schedule
IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa’s 2009-10 men’s Big Ten basketball schedule was released today and it includes 16 appearances on the Big Ten Network.
The Big Ten released the entire conference schedule, and for the third-straight season, every Big Ten regular season and post-season conference tournament game will be nationally televised. Over 100 games will be televised nationally on CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network.
“The Big Ten, arguably, could be considered the best conference in the nation, top-to-bottom,” said Iowa Head Coach Todd Lickliter. “It’s going to be a great league. Nine Big Ten teams competed in post-season play a year ago and nearly everybody is back on all those teams. We know the schedule is going to be demanding every year.”
Four of Iowa’s nine conference home games are weekend dates, with just one of the four starting as late as 5 p.m. Weekend home contests are against Minnesota (Jan. 2), Michigan State (Jan. 9), Penn State (Jan. 16) and Indiana (Feb. 28).
The Hawkeyes open league play with four of its first five games at home. Iowa welcomes Purdue to Iowa City on Dec. 29 to open Big Ten action, followed by a home date against Minnesota (Jan. 2). Iowa’s first conference road game will come at Illinois on Jan. 5. The Black and Gold then return home for a pair of games vs. Michigan State (Jan. 9) and Penn State (Jan. 16).
Iowa’s opener vs. Purdue on Dec. 29 is its earliest conference opener since the 1952-53 season. That year, the Hawkeyes opened with Michigan on Dec. 13 in an 18-game league schedule.
Iowa will play Penn State (home) and Wisconsin (away) only once during the regular season. The Hawkeyes’ only regular season game against the Badgers will be the second-to-last regular season game and will at Madison, WI on either March 2, 3 or 4.
Sixteen of Iowa’s 18 conference games will appear on the Big Ten Network. Iowa’s road game at Northwestern (Jan. 25) will air on either ESPN or ESPN2. The Hawkeyes’ game at Northwestern is part of three of four road games to conclude the regular season. After taking on the Wildcats in Evanston, IL, Iowa returns home for its home finale (Indiana) and then finishes at Wisconsin and Minnesota (Mar. 7).
The Big Ten Conference Tournament (March 11-14) will take place at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the third-straight year, with tournament games airing on the Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS.
Iowa’s non-conference schedule is expected to be announced in the near future. 2009-10 Iowa Men’s Basketball Big Ten Schedule.