It's North Carolina-Iowa in 2020 men's basketball ACC/Big Ten Challenge

The Iowa men's basketball team will host North Carolina on Dec. 8, as part of the 2020 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

'We're excited to add North Carolina to our schedule,' said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. '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 Tar Heels are coming off a 14-19 season, an aberration for them. The traditional national power won at least 26 games in each of the previous five seasons, which included the 2017 national championship and a runner-up finish the year before.

This will be the fifth overall meeting between the two programs. Iowa won three of the first four, including a 2014 triumph at North Carolina.

The Hawkeyes have won five of their last seven Challenge games, and their last three Challenge home games.

North Carolina has three returning starters, including second-team All-ACC pick Garrison Brooks. It also returns two key players, Sterling Manley and Anthony Harris, who suffered season-ending knee injuries last season.

Iowa's known schedule consists of just two games, but they are good ones. The other is a game in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Dec. 19 against highly regarded Gonzaga, a probable preseason top-five team.

2020 ACC/Big Ten Challenge schedule

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

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com