Iowa men’s basketball team will officially host North Carolina in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
The Tar Heels will travel to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the Dec. 8 matchup.
Iowa center Luka Garza goes in for a shot during a men’s basketball game between Iowa and Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 29 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 77-68. (Nichole Harris/The Daily Iowan)
October 30, 2020
The Iowa men’s basketball team confirmed Friday morning that it will compete against North Carolina on Dec. 8 as part of the 2020 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
“We’re excited to add North Carolina to our schedule,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said in a release. “North Carolina is extremely well-coached with a skilled roster that will provide a challenge to our team. This will be an exciting matchup early in the season for college basketball fans.”
The Hawkeyes have won five of their last seven Challenge games, including a 2014 victory over the Tar Heels (60-55) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This will be the fifth overall meeting between the two programs. North Carolina’s lone victory in the series came in the 2004 Maui Invitational Championship Game (106-92).
Game times and television information will be announced at a later date. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU will combine to televise all 14 games of the two-day event matching top college basketball programs playing for conference supremacy and the Commissioners Cup.
Iowa is coming off a 20-11 season and a fifth-place conference finish with a mark of 11-9. The Hawkeyes have seven players returning with starting experience, including consensus All-American center Luka Garza. The team will likely be in the top five nationally entering the season.
North Carolina was plagued by injuries a year ago, posting a 14-19 overall mark, including a 6-14 conference record. Head coach Roy Williams’ 2020-21 roster features nine returners and seven newcomers. The Tar Heels are expected to bounce back and could be in the top 25 poll entering the season.
In addition to North Carolina, the Hawkeyes are scheduled to face the likely No. 1 rated team entering the season, Gonzaga, on Dec. 19, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Iowa’s remaining 2020-21 schedule will be announced at a later date.
The 2020-21 Challenge schedule is listed below:
Tuesday, Dec. 8
North Carolina at Iowa
Illinois at Duke
Syracuse at Rutgers
Ohio State at Notre Dame
Purdue at Miami
Boston College at Minnesota
Penn State at Virginia Tech
Wednesday, Dec. 9
Maryland at Clemson
Indiana at Florida State
NC State at Michigan
Pitt at Northwestern
Michigan State at Virginia
Louisville at Wisconsin
Georgia Tech at Nebraska