Iowa opening Big Ten season with home game against Purdue

Iowa's men's basketball team opens its Big Ten campaign Dec. 29 against Purdue at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Big Ten released its men's basketball schedule Wednesday, and Iowa hosts four of its first five opponents. Iowa hosts Minnesota Jan. 2, Michigan State Jan. 9 and Penn State Jan. 16. Iowa travels to Illinois Jan. 5.

But the Hawkeyes must travel consecutive weekends from Jan. 24 through Feb. 13. Iowa plays three of its final four games on the road and closes March 7 at Minnesota.

Sixteen of Iowa's 18 Big Ten games will appear on the Big Ten Network. ESPN or ESPN2 will show Iowa's Feb. 25 game at Northwestern. Iowa's game at Wisconsin has undetermined date (March 2, 3 or 4) and television plans.

Iowa's complete non-conference schedule has not been released. The Hawkeyes will play Texas in the CBE Classic in Kansas City Nov. 23 and Pittsburgh or Wichita State Nov. 24. Iowa will host Virginia Tech in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge Dec. 1. It's slated to play - unofficially - Dec. 8 at Northern Iowa, Dec. 11 at Iowa State and hosts Drake Dec. 19.