Iowa men's basketball tips off its 2026-27 season Tuesday night, welcoming Lipscomb to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a 7 p.m. CT start on the Big Ten Network.
It is the second season opener for head coach Ben McCollum, who turned the Hawkeyes into one of the sport's best stories last year. Iowa went 24-13 overall, 10-10 in Big Ten play, and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 39 years, knocking off Clemson, Florida, and Nebraska along the way.
How to watch Iowa vs. Lipscomb
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 3
Time: 7 p.m. CT
TV: Big Ten Network
Chris Vosters handles play-by-play with Jess Settles providing color commentary, [S1] according to Yahoo Sports.
Sports Illustrated notes that while this is Iowa's first game of the year, it is the second of two games in two days for Lipscomb, which opens against Southeast Missouri State on Monday.
Who is back for the Hawkeyes
Iowa's leading returning scorer is third-year forward Cooper Koch, who started all 37 games last season and averaged 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
The Hawkeyes also return Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tate Sage, Cam Manyawu, and Trevin Jirak.
McCollum dipped into the transfer portal for Illinois State guard Ty'Reek Coleman and 7-foot-3 Saint Mary's center Andrew McKeever, according to BVM Sports. The roster also adds first-year players Jaidyn Coon and Ethan Harris.
Iowa's early season schedule
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: vs. Lipscomb, 7 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Friday, Nov. 6: vs. Eastern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: vs. Virginia Tech (Sioux City), 6 p.m. CT, FS1
- Sunday, Nov. 15: vs. Creighton (Des Moines), 2 p.m. CT, FS1
- Friday, Nov. 20: at Xavier, 6:30 p.m. CT, TNT
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: vs. UMBC, Big Ten Plus
- Saturday, Nov. 28: vs. Prairie View A&M, Big Ten Plus
- Tuesday, Dec. 1: at Purdue, 6 p.m. CT, Peacock/NBCSN
- Monday, Dec. 7: vs. Indiana, 6 p.m. CT, FS1
- Thursday, Dec. 10: vs. Iowa State, 6 p.m. CT, FS1
- Sunday, Dec. 13: vs. Western Illinois, 5 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Thursday, Dec. 17: vs. Bethune-Cookman, 8 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Monday, Dec. 21: vs. Alabama (Des Moines), 6 p.m. CT, Peacock/NBCSN
- Tuesday, Dec. 29: vs. South Dakota, 7:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
Big Ten play begins in January
- Saturday, Jan. 2: vs. Ohio State, 11 a.m. CT, Peacock/NBCSN
- Wednesday, Jan. 6: vs. Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m. CT, FS1
- Saturday, Jan. 9: vs. Maryland, 5 p.m. CT, FS1
- Tuesday, Jan. 12: at Rutgers, 7:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Saturday, Jan. 16: at Nebraska, 7 p.m. CT, FS1/Fox
- Saturday, Jan. 23: vs. Penn State, 3 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Tuesday, Jan. 26: at Ohio State, 5 p.m. CT, FS1
- Saturday, Jan. 30: vs. Nebraska, 4 p.m. CT, Peacock/NBCSN
- Wednesday, Feb. 3: at USC, 9:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Saturday, Feb. 6: at UCLA, 5 or 7 p.m. CT, Fox
- Wednesday, Feb. 10: vs. Oregon, 7:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Saturday, Feb. 13: at Northwestern, 1 p.m. CT, FS1
- Tuesday, Feb. 16: vs. Michigan State, 8 p.m. CT, Peacock/NBCSN
- Saturday, Feb. 20: at Michigan, noon CT, CBS
- Wednesday, Feb. 24: at Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m. CT, FS1
- Saturday, Feb. 27: vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Tuesday, March 2: vs. Washington, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
- Saturday, March 6: at Illinois, 7 p.m. CT, Fox
What to watch for
McCollum's first season in Iowa City set a high bar. The Elite Eight run was the program's deepest NCAA Tournament push since 1987, and fans packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena down the stretch as the wins piled up.
Year two brings new questions. Koch is the only proven returning scorer, and the Hawkeyes will need Coleman, McKeever, and the returning role players to fill the holes left by last season's departures.
The home-heavy early schedule helps. Iowa plays its first six games in Iowa, including neutral-site games against Virginia Tech in Sioux City on Nov. 10 and Creighton in Des Moines on Nov. 15, before a road trip to Xavier on Nov. 20.
The Cy-Hawk rivalry game against Iowa State lands at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 10, and Alabama comes to Des Moines on Dec. 21 in a marquee nonconference test.
FAQ
What time does Iowa basketball play Lipscomb?
Iowa tips off against Lipscomb at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
What channel is the Iowa Lipscomb game on?
The game airs on the Big Ten Network, with Chris Vosters on play-by-play and Jess Settles as the analyst.
How did Iowa basketball finish last season?
The Hawkeyes went 24-13 and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, their first trip that far since 1987.