Big Ten and Iowa announce 2013-14 men's basketball schedules

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The Big Ten Conference announced the 2013-14 conference men's basketball schedule Wednesday. The conference season begins on New Year's Eve and culminates in March with the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (March 13-16).
Eight of Iowa's 18 Big Ten games will be televised on an ESPN Network, including six on either ESPN or ESPN2. Additionally, the Hawkeyes will have at least one CBS appearance (at Ohio State on Jan. 12). The Big Ten Network's television schedule will be released at a later date.

Iowa will open and close its Big Ten schedule in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where last year the Hawkeyes won a school-record 18 home games. The Hawkeyes will open the conference slate New Year's Eve against Nebraska (6 p.m.), while playing their home finale versus Illinois on March 8 or 9 (time TBD).

Iowa's schedule includes five Big Ten weekend home dates, including playing its final four home contests on a Saturday or Sunday.

The Hawkeyes open their season on Sunday, Nov. 3, in an exhibition contest against Augustana (Ill.) (3:30 p.m.), while the regular season tips off Friday, Nov. 8, versus UNC-Wilmington (8:30 p.m.).

The UI Ticket Office is accepting season ticket requests for the 2013-14 season. Fans can call 1-800-IA-HAWKS, hawkeyesports.com or stop by the ticket office at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to reserve their seat today.

•Iowa's opener against UNC-Wilmington on Nov. 8, will be the program's 500th game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

•Iowa's two "byes" come on weekdays (Jan. 13-16 and Feb. 11-14). Furthermore, the Hawkeyes will only play on Wednesday only once during the Big Ten schedule, and twice on Thursdays.

•From Jan. 28 to Feb. 22, 6-of-7 Iowa basketball games will be broadcast on an ESPN network (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU).

•Three of Iowa's four weekday Big Ten home games have 6 p.m. (CT) starts.

•Iowa will play Purdue and Nebraska once during the regular season, both at home; while playing Indiana and Penn State one time, both on the road.

•Iowa's first five nonconference contests will be played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, including a contest against Penn on Nov. 22. Head coach Fran McCaffery is a graduate of Penn; also freshman Peter Jok's older brother, Dau, is a senior for the Quakers.

•Iowa's exhibition against Augustana (Ill.) on Nov. 3 will be played the afternoon after the Hawkeye football team's home game versus Wisconsin. Also, Iowa's contest against Penn (Nov. 22) will be played the night before the Hawkeyes' football home finale against Michigan.

•Iowa's three games played at Atlantis in the Bahamas will be televised. The Hawkeyes' first game versus Xavier will air on NBC Sports Network, while its final two contests will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network or AXS TV, depending on results of first and second round games.

•There will be three women-men's basketball doubleheaders: Augustana (Nov. 3), UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 8), and Nebraska-Omaha (Nov. 10).