Iowa and Alabama Set for Home‑and‑Home Basketball Series
The University of Iowa men's basketball team has locked in a home‑and‑home series with Alabama, beginning with a neutral‑site showdown on Dec. 21, 2026 at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The game marks the first leg of a two‑year arrangement that will see the Hawkeyes travel to the Deep South for the second meeting.
The counterpart will be played during the 2027‑28 season in Mobile, Alabama, completing a series that adds a new chapter to a rivalry that last intersected in 2010. Their previous two encounters were split in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, giving both programs a 1‑1 record heading into the new matchups.
Iowa enters the series riding a strong start under head coach Ben McCollum, who guided the Hawkeyes to a 2‑0 record against Southeastern Conference opponents in his inaugural season. Highlights include a victory over Ole Miss in the Acrisure Classic in San Diego and an upset of top‑seeded Florida in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, propelling the team to the Sweet 16.
Beyond the Alabama series, Iowa is slated to host two games in the state capital during the 2026‑27 campaign, the first of which will be against Creighton on Nov. 15. Those contests underscore the program’s ambitious non‑conference schedule and its commitment to testing itself against diverse competition.