Iowa men’s basketball to play at Virginia in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

The Iowa men’s basketball team has been given a demanding challenge in this year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Hawkeyes will play at Virginia on Nov. 29 at a time to be determined. The Cavaliers, who were the 2019 national champions, finished first in the ACC regular-season standings last season.

Iowa and Virginia haven’t met since the Cavaliers beat the Hawkeyes 74-41 in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla., in November 2016. Iowa won a 2013 NIT quarterfinal at Virginia, 75-64.

Virginia was 18-7 last season, 14-3 in the ACC. It was upset 62-58 by 13th-seed Ohio in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Cavaliers are 295-103 in Tony Bennett’s 12 seasons as coach, 149-62 in the ACC with five regular-season titles. They have four 30-win seasons in that time.

Virginia is losing its top three scorers from a year ago in Sam Hauser (16.0 ppg), Jay Huff (13.0) and Trey Murphy III (11.3),

Iowa defeated North Carolina in last year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Hawkeyes have won their last three games in the event, and six of the last eight.

Other 2021 ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups

Duke at Ohio State

Louisville at Michigan State

Florida State at Purdue

Indiana at Syracuse

Michigan at North Carolina

Nebraska at N.C. State

Wisconsin at Georgia Tech

Notre Dame at Illinois

Clemson at Rutgers

Penn State at Miami

Northwestern at Wake Forest

Minnesota at Pittsburgh

Virginia Tech at Maryland

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com