Iowa women’s basketball 2021-22 non-conference schedule announced

IOWA CITY — A highly anticipated University of Iowa women’s basketball season will tip off Nov. 4.

The Hawkeyes (20-10 and a Sweet 16 team last year) open with a Thursday night exhibition with Truman State.

Then they start, for real, with a home encounter with New Hampshire five days later.

Iowa released its non-conference schedule Monday. Several highlights already had been announced, like the Cancun Challenge (the Hawkeyes face Seton Hall and USC, Nov. 25-26) and a Dec. 2 date at Duke as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

The Hawkeyes’ in-state games are Nov. 14 at Northern Iowa, Nov. 21 at home against Drake and Dec. 8 at Iowa State.

Two home opponents were regular-season conference champions in 2020-21: Samford (Nov. 11) won the Southern Conference title and IUPUI (Dec. 21) captured the Horizon League crown.

Another game of note is Dec. 18, at home against Central Florida, which went 16-5 last season.

The Big Ten has not yet released its schedule.

Iowa returns all five starters — All-American Caitlin Clark, plus Monika Czinano, McKenna Warnock, Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin — from last year’s team. The Hawkeyes were Big Ten tournament runners-up.

Iowa women’s basketball 2021-22 schedule

Non-Conference

Nov. 4 — Truman State (exhibition, home)

Nov. 9 — New Hampshire (home)

Nov. 11 — Samford (home)

Nov. 14 — at Northern Iowa

Nov. 17 — Southern University (home)

Nov. 21 — Drake (home)

Nov. 25 — vs. Seton Hall (Cancun Challenge)

Nov. 26 — vs. USC (Cancun Challenge)

Dec. 2 — at Duke (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)

Dec. 8 — at Iowa State

Dec. 18 — Central Florida (home)

Dec. 21 — IUPUI (home)

Big Ten (dates not yet released)

Home and away — Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern

Home only — Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State

Away only — Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com