Iowa gets its first road test of the season on Tuesday night, and it comes in a neutral-site matchup with Virginia Tech at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City as part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series.
The Hawkeyes are 2-0 after rolling past Eastern Illinois 91-47, a game that featured a balanced scoring night and another strong showing from Peyton McCollum. The second-year guard paced Iowa with 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, knocking down four 3-pointers. Ty’Reek Coleman added 13, Trey Thompson finished with 11, and Tate Sage chipped in 10 as four Hawkeyes reached double figures.
One Iowa storyline to keep an eye on is the status of transfer center Andrew McKeever. The 7-foot-3 big man, who came over from Saint Mary’s, has not played in either of Iowa’s first two games because of a back injury, and his availability remains uncertain.
Virginia Tech comes in at 2-0 as well after a 96-67 win over Mercer on Thursday night in Blacksburg, Va. Fourth-year forward Amani Hansberry led the Hokies with 23 points, going 9 for 13 from the floor and 1 of 2 from 3-point range.
This will be the fifth all-time meeting between the programs, and Iowa is still looking for its first win in the series. The last matchup came on Nov. 28, 2017, when Virginia Tech beat Iowa 79-55 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Cassell Coliseum. That result pushed the Hokies’ series lead to 4-0.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, with FS1 carrying the broadcast. Kevin Kugler will handle play-by-play, and Greg McDermott will provide color commentary from Sioux City.
In Other News...
Iowas Latest Depth Chart Hints At Two Key Changes Vs Purdue
Iowas Week 11 depth chart offered a couple of notable clues ahead of the Purdue matchup, starting with the interior of the offensive line. Cael Winter was absent for the second straight week, and Michael Myslinski is again listed as the starter at center, a development that keeps the Hawkeyes protection and run-game setup in focus as they prepare for another Big Ten test.
There was also a welcome update on the defensive side, where Jaylen Watson reappeared on the depth chart after missing time in the previous game. The full release covered offense, defense and special teams, but those two changes stood out most for a Hawkeyes team still sorting through its weekly lineup and trying to settle into the right combinations before facing Purdue. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's New Backfield Picture Changes Everything Against Purdue
A week after Kamari Moultons season-ending injury, Iowas backfield picture has already shifted for Saturdays home game against Purdue. L.J. Phillips is now listed as the starting running back, a move that comes on the heels of his busiest outing yet, when he led the Hawkeyes with 21 carries for 128 yards against Northwestern.
The changes do not stop there, either, as Michael Myslinski is expected to start on the offensive line in place of Cael Winter, who may be sidelined again. For an Iowa offense that has leaned so heavily on stability up front and in the run game, the updated Week 11 depth chart makes this a notable test of how quickly the Hawkeyes can absorb another personnel shakeup and still keep their ground game on track. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Fast Start Faces Its First Real Test Against Iowa
Virginia Techs opening-night win over Mercer offered an early glimpse of a team that can push the pace and protect the ball, with Amani Hansberry delivering a career-best 23 points and Ben Hammond and Jaylen Curry helping steady the offense. The Hokies looked sharp enough to make that first result feel convincing, but the next step comes quickly enough, and it comes against a Big Ten opponent that will be far less forgiving of mistakes.
Iowa enters the neutral-site matchup with a different kind of storyline, hoping to get center Andrew McKeever on the floor after he has been dealing with back issues. For the Hawkeyes, his availability matters not just for depth but for what it could mean inside against a Virginia Tech team that already showed it can score in bunches and keep turnovers down. [Read more 🡒]