Iowa men open with Michigan State

IOWA CITY - Iowa's men's basketball team opens Big Ten play Dec. 29 against Michigan State, according to the league schedule released on Thursday.

The Hawkeyes have a quick turnaround with the Spartans, returning to East Lansing about two weeks later on Jan. 14. Michigan State, which advanced to the Final Four last year, has beaten Iowa nine straight times.

Iowa plays all of its border rivals only once this year, including four of the five at home. The Hawkeyes play host to Nebraska (Jan. 2), Minnesota (Feb. 14), Wisconsin (Feb. 24) and Northwestern (Jan. 31). Iowa plays at Illinois on Feb. 7.

Along with Michigan State, Iowa faces four other teams twice. That includes Purdue (Jan. 2, road; Jan. 24, home), Indiana (Feb. 11, road; March 1, home), Michigan (Jan. 17, home; March 5, road) and Penn State (Feb. 3, home; Feb. 17, road). Iowa also plays at Rutgers (Jan. 21), at Maryland (Jan. 28) and either Feb. 27 or 28 at Ohio State.

None of Iowa's nine home games are scheduled for a Saturday. Iowa plays four home games on Sundays, three on Tuesdays and two on Wednesdays.

Iowa men will not complete the regular season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since 2010.

Iowa's women's basketball team opens league play at Nebraska on Dec. 31. Former Iowa women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer returns to Iowa City on Jan. 4 to face Lisa Bluder's team in the Hawkeyes' Big Ten home opener. Stringer won outright or shared six Big Ten titles at Iowa before leaving for Rutgers in 1995. Stringer brought her squad to Iowa in 2005 and has faced the Hawkeyes three times at Rutgers.

Maryland Coach Brenda Frese also returns to her home region, taking the Terrapins to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 10. Frese is a Cedar Rapids Washington graduate. Maryland won the Big Ten title last year, while Iowa placed second.

MEN'S SCHEDULE

Thurs., Oct. 29 - University of Sioux Falls (exhibition)

Fri., Nov. 6 - Augustana (South Dakota) (exhibition)

Fri., Nov. 13 - Gardner-Webb

Sun., Nov. 15 - Coppin State

Thurs., Nov. 19 - at Marquette

Thurs., Nov. 26 - vs. Dayton (Advocare Invitational at Orlando)

Fri., Nov. 27 - vs. Notre Dame/Monmouth (Advocare Invitational at Orlando)

Sun., Nov. 29 - vs. TBD (Advocare Invitational at Orlando)

Wed., Dec. 2 - Florida State

Sat., Dec. 5 - Missouri-Kansas City

Mon., Dec. 7 - Western Illinois

Thurs., Dec. 10 - at Iowa State

Sat., Dec. 19 - vs. Drake (Des Moines)

Tues., Dec. 22 - Tennessee Tech

Tues., Dec. 29 - Michigan State

Sat., Jan. 2 - at Purdue

Tues., Jan. 5 - Nebraska

Thurs., Jan. 14 - at Michigan State

Sun., Jan. 17 - Michigan

Thurs., Jan. 21 - at Rutgers

Sun., Jan. 24 - Purdue

Thurs., Jan. 28 - at Maryland

Sun., Jan. 31 - Northwestern

Wed., Feb. 3 - Penn State

Sun., Feb. 7 - at Illinois

Thurs., Feb. 11 - at Indiana

Sun., Feb. 14 - Minnesota

Wed., Feb. 17 - at Penn State

Wed., Feb. 24 - Wisconsin

Sat./Sun., Feb. 27/28 - at Ohio State

Tues., March 1 - Indiana

Sat., March 5 - at Michigan

Wed.-Sun., Mar. 9-13 - at Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis)

WOMEN'S SCHEDULE

Fri., Nov. 13 - North Dakota

Sun., Nov. 15 - Tennessee-Martin

Thurs., Nov. 19 - Western Illinois

Sun., Nov. 22 - at Northern Iowa

Thurs., Nov. 26 - vs. Wright State (Austin, Texas)

Fri., Nov. 27 - vs. George Washington (Austin, Texas)

Sat., Nov. 28 - vs. Houston (Austin, Texas)

Wed., Dec. 2 - at Virginia

Sun., Dec. 6 - Robert Morris

Fri., Dec. 11 - at Iowa State (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series)

Sat., Dec. 19 - Bradley

Tues., Dec. 22 - Drake

Thurs., Dec. 31 - at Nebraska

Mon., Jan. 4 - Rutgers

Thurs., Jan. 7 - at Michigan

Sun., Jan. 10 - Maryland

Wed., Jan. 13 - at Wisconsin

Sat., Jan. 16 - at Michigan State

Wed., Jan. 20 - Penn State

Sun., Jan. 24 - at Purdue

Thurs., Jan. 28 - Michigan

Sun., Jan. 31 - at Northwestern

Thurs., Feb. 4 - at Indiana

Sun., Feb. 7 - Michigan State

Thurs., Feb. 11 - Ohio State

Mon., Feb. 15 - at Minnesota

Thurs., Feb. 18 - Purdue

Sun., Feb. 21 - Indiana

Wed., Feb. 24 - at Penn State

Sat., Feb. 27 - Illinois

March 2-6 - at Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis)

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com