The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Iowa men’s basketball to play Marquette in Gavitt Games

The Iowa men’s basketball team added a notable game to its 2015-16 schedule on Wednesday, as the Big Ten and Big East unveiled plans for an inaugural series of games.

The Gavitt Tipoff Games, named after Big East founder Dave Gavitt, will include eight games per year between the conferences beginning in 2015 until 2022. The first of the eight games to be confirmed lists Iowa on the road at Marquette on Nov. 19.

Until the rest of Iowa’s schedule is released, the Hawkeyes should be excited to have what should be at least one respectable game out-of-conference. The Golden Eagles finished only 13-19 last season, 4-14 in the conference, but Marquette has historically been a talented program and have high hopes under second-year head coach Steve Wojciechowski.

The coach will have four letterwinners and second-leading scorer Duane Wilson back.

Iowa has played Marquette 17 times in the past, including an 86-81 victory in the 1955 Elite Eight; the two haven’t met since 1982. Iowa leads the series, 10-7.

The Hawkeye program will still be getting a feel for its new roster, but the November game should be one of the bigger draws in the early going, as fans and the players adjust to life without Aaron White and Gabe Olaseni.

The Iowa-Marquette matchup is the second-most notable matchup of the Gavitt Games; the Nov. 17 meeting between Georgetown at Maryland could potentially be a game between two teams in the top 25.

by Kyle Mann

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