Iowa basketball returning to Des Moines in 2025-26 season
While the 2025-26 campaign is still over five months away, Iowa basketball announced on Wednesday that the program will make a return to Des Moines, Iowa, this season for a non-conference game vs. Bucknell at Wells Fargo Arena on Dec. 20.
The trip to Des Moines will be the program's second visit in the past three seasons. The Hawkeyes have won seven of their last eight games in Wells Fargo Arena since 2013, with an 88-52 victory over Florida A&M on Dec. 16, 2023, in the Hy-Vee Hawkeye Showcase, serving as their most recent appearance.
We are excited to bring our team to Wells Fargo Arena in December to showcase our players to our fan base in the Des Moines metro area,' said Iowa head coach Ben McCollum. 'This is a great opportunity to play a strong Bucknell team on a neutral court and to continue to build excitement for our program.'
Returning to Des Moines should also provide a "homecoming" feel, as much of the Hawkeyes' roster and coaching staff spent the previous season with the nearby Drake Bulldogs program.
Bucknell was co-regular season champion of the Patriot League last season, posting a 13-5 conference record along with an 18-15 overall mark. The Bison are led by third-year head coach John Griffin III, who is a 2008 Bucknell graduate and was a guard on the team's 2005 and 2006 championship teams that won NCAA Tournament first-round games over Kansas and Arizona.
Iowa is 1-0 all-time vs. Bucknell, as the Hawkeyes won 91-52 during the Bison's visit to Iowa City during the 1997-98 season. The Hawkeyes are also 14-0 all-time against current programs from the Patriot League.
Although specifics regarding the start time and broadcast information will be announced later, tickets for the non-conference clash will go on sale on Friday, June 6, at 11 a.m. (CT), exclusively via hyveetix.com.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
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