Iowa Opens Season Against Lipscomb Tuesday

Coach Ben McCollum previewed the Hawkeyes' season opener against the Lipscomb Bison at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball

Iowa Opens Season Against Lipscomb Tuesday

Iowa basketball coach Ben McCollum met with reporters Monday morning to discuss the Hawkeyes' upcoming season opener against Lipscomb. The game is set for Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 36 hours after McCollum's media session.

Why it matters

The opener gives Iowa its first chance to test its roster against outside competition after a season that ended with an Elite Eight appearance last year. McCollum's comments on what he learned during preseason exhibitions offer early indications of how the team is shaping up.

Iowa's season opener tips off roughly 36 hours after McCollum's Monday briefing, with the Hawkeyes coming off a season that carried them to the Elite Eight. Specific individual or team statistics from the preseason exhibitions were not included in the source extraction.

The players

Ben McCollum

McCollum is the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball program, which he leads into the 2026-27 season.

Andrew McKeever

McKeever is an Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball player who spoke to the media about his offseason development.

Trevin Jirak

Jirak is an Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball player who addressed reporters about the improvements he made during the offseason.

The details

McCollum spoke about the challenges Lipscomb presents and what he learned about the roster during preseason exhibition games. Andrew McKeever and Trevin Jirak also addressed reporters about the offseason work they put in to improve their games.

Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: Ben McCollum meets with the media ahead of the season opener.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Iowa opens its season against Lipscomb at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Season Trajectory

Iowa's opener follows an Elite Eight appearance last season, placing the Hawkeyes in position to build on that postseason run. How the team performs early will shape expectations for its standing in the conference this year.

The opener gives fans a first look at the rotation and how the roster has developed. Early results against Lipscomb will help set expectations for the rest of the non-conference schedule.

The takeaway

Season openers reveal more about a roster's direction than preseason talk does, so the first game against Lipscomb is worth watching closely. Fans should track how the returning players and new contributors perform together.