The Iowa Women’s Basketball team figures to be the favorite in the Big Ten, coming off of a regular season and tournament title. That means a good draw in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Fans have been anxious to see the opponent and finally today we find out that Hawkeyes will welcome the North Carolina State Wolfpack to Carver Hawkeye Arena on December 1st.

The Hawkeyes have struggled in Challenge play, as they are just 2-5 since its first season back in 2014. The Hawkeyes defeated Virginia (2015) and Clemson (2019), but have lost matchups against Louisville (2014), Notre Dame (2016, 2018), Florida State (2017) and Duke (2021). Iowa is 1-2 in Challenge games at Carver.

This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Hawkeyes and Wolfpack, with Iowa leading the series 2-1. The first meeting came in the First Round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament, with the Hawkeyes winning 56-50 in the Storrs Regional. The second matchup was won by NC State in overtime by a final score of 69-66 during the 2002 Loyola Marymount Thanksgiving Classic. The Hawkeyes won the most recent matchup in 2019 by a score of 79-61 in the Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, NC.

North Carolina State is coached by Wes Moore, who is entering his 10th season as head coach of the program with a 222-69 record, including six NCAA Tournament appearances. NC State is coming off a 32-4 season, where the Wolfpack won the ACC Tournament and made it to the Elite Eight before falling to Connecticut. Wing Jakia Brown-Turner (9.8 ppg, 4.6 reb) is the lone returning starter for the Wolfpack, but G Diamond Johnson (10.8 ppg) and C Camille Hobby (5.1 ppg) return. F Mimi Collins (Maryland), C River Baldwin (Florida State) and G Saniya Rivers (South Carolina) come to Raleigh via the transfer portal to help the cause. ESPN ranked NC State at #8 in their latest Way-Too-Early Top 25.

A tip time and television station will be announced at a later date, but there is no doubt that this matchup will be on the short list for one of the more anticipated in the WBB non-conference season.

Current Iowa WBB Non-Conference Slate

Nov 17 – at Kansas State

Nov 24 – Phil Knight Invitational (Oregon State/Duke/UConn)

Nov 27 – Phil Knight Invitational (Oregon State/Duke/UConn)

Dec 1 – vs North Carolina State

Dec 7 – vs Iowa State

Northern Iowa and Drake do not have official dates set as of now. Four more games and a preseason exhibition match-up have not yet been announced.