Women's Hoops Announces Nonconference Schedule

June 26, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s basketball team released its nonconference schedule Wednesday. The Hawkeyes will play 14 nonconference games, including three true road games and three neutral site contests.

The Hawkeyes will open with an exhibition against Concordia-St. Paul (Nov. 3) before starting the nonconference portion of their schedule. Iowa will play three games in the Cancun Challenge, Nov. 28-30. Opponents, game times and television information will be announced at a later date.

In Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes will play five league teams twice (Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State) and the other six once. Iowa hosts Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern, and travels to Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes’ complete conference schedule will be released later this summer.

Iowa finished 21-13 overall and 8-8 in league play in 2012-13. The Hawkeyes were an at-large selection for the NCAA Tournament, earning a No. 9 seed and hosting the first and second rounds. Iowa knocked off No. 8 seed Miami, 69-53, in the first round before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual Final Four qualifier Notre Dame, 74-57.

Iowa is the only Big Ten team, and one of only 13 teams in the country, to have appeared in the last six NCAA Tournaments.

UC Riverside (Nov. 8 – Hawkeye Challenge – Iowa City)
Iowa opens the 2013-14 campaign in Iowa City in the Hawkeye Challenge, as the tournament returns for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Hawkeyes begin the season against UC Riverside in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Dayton (Nov. 10 – Hawkeye Challenge – Iowa City)
Iowa concludes action in the Hawkeye Challenge with its first-ever contest against Dayton. The Flyers won a school-record 28 games last season and advanced to their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament as a program-best No. 7 seed. Dayton (28-3) defeated St. John’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Kentucky.
*Iowa is guaranteed to play both UC Riverside and Dayton in the three-team Hawkeye Challenge.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 13 – Iowa City)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff collected 13 wins last year. Iowa has never faced Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Stony Brook (Nov. 17 – Iowa City)
The Hawkeyes will host Stony Brook in the first meeting between the two schools. Stony Brook finished 14-16 last year.
at Colorado (Nov. 20 – Boulder, Colo.)
Iowa travels to Boulder to face Colorado in its first road game of the season, beginning a stretch of five-straight contests away from Iowa City. The Buffaloes lead the all-time series, 2-1. Colorado claimed the last meeting and the only previous game in Boulder, 92-83, on Dec. 2, 2001. The Buffaloes finished 25-7 last season, with a 13-5 mark in the Pac-12 in their second year in the league. Colorado fell to Kansas in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
at Northern Iowa (Nov. 24 – Cedar Falls, Iowa)
The Hawkeyes hit the road for a second-straight game when they travel to Cedar Falls to face the Panthers. Iowa is 16-2 all-time against Northern Iowa, having claimed the last six meetings. The Hawkeyes won in Iowa City a year ago, 68-46. The Panthers made a second-round appearance in the WNIT and finished 17-17 overall last season.
at Cancun Challenge (Nov. 28-30 – Cancun, Mexico)
The Hawkeyes travel to the Cancun Challenge, Nov. 28-30, facing three teams in three days. Iowa last traveled to Cancun in 2010, downing James Madison and Virginia Tech. Opponent and game information for this year’s Challenge will be released at a later date.
Syracuse (Dec. 5 – Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Iowa City)
Following five-straight games away from home, Iowa will host Syracuse as part of the seventh annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Syracuse begins a new era as a first-year member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. This will mark the third meeting between the Orange and Hawkeyes. Iowa has claimed both meetings, winning at Syracuse on Dec. 5, 1998, 70-64, in the Carrier Classic, and in Iowa City on Nov. 28, 1999, 76-73, in the Hawkeye Challenge. The Orange finished 24-8 overall a year ago with an 11-5 mark in BIG EAST play. Syracuse lost to Creighton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
Idaho State (Dec. 7 – Iowa City)
The Hawkeyes host Idaho State two days after facing the Orange in Iowa City. The Bengals finished 18-13 last season and made an appearance in the WNIT. Iowa claimed the only meeting during the 1982-83 season, 74-65, in Iowa City.
at Iowa State (Dec. 12 – Ames, Iowa)
The Hawkeyes resume intra-state play, traveling to Iowa State in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. The Cyclones competed in the NCAA Tournament last year, and the Hawkeyes hold a 22-20 advantage in the all-time series. Iowa defeated Iowa State last year in Iowa City, 50-42. The contest marks the Hawkeyes’ final nonconference road game.
Drake (Dec. 21 – Iowa City)
Iowa finishes intra-state play against Drake. Former Hawkeye Jennie (Lillis) Baranczyk is in her second season as Drake’s head coach. Iowa is 21-24 against the Bulldogs, and has won the last 11 meetings in the series. Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder served as head coach at Drake for 10 seasons. Hawkeye associate head coach Jan Jensen and assistant coach Jenni Fitzgerald both played and coached at Drake.
North Dakota (Dec. 28 – Iowa City)
Iowa concludes nonconference play at home with its first meeting against North Dakota.
2013 Nonconference Schedule:
Nov. 3 Concordia-St. Paul Iowa City (Exhibition)
Nov. 8 UC Riverside Iowa City (Hawkeye Challenge)
Nov. 10 Dayton Iowa City (Hawkeye Challenge)
Nov. 13 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Iowa City
Nov. 17 Stony Brook Iowa City
Nov. 20 at Colorado Boulder, Colo.
Nov. 24 at Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa
Nov. 28 TBD Cancun, Mexico (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 29 TBD Cancun, Mexico (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 30 TBD Cancun, Mexico (Cancun Challenge)
Dec. 5 Syracuse Iowa City (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
Dec. 7 Idaho State Iowa City
Dec. 12 at Iowa State Ames, Iowa
Dec. 21 Drake Iowa City
Dec. 28 North Dakota Iowa City