Iowa men’s basketball to face Xavier in November nonconference fixture
The matchup at the Cintas Center follows Iowa’s 81-62 victory over the Musketeers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena last season, as Xavier looks to rebuild under first-year head coach Richard Pitino.
Iowa’s men’s basketball programme is scheduled to visit Xavier University on 20 November for a nonconference contest at the Cintas Center. The fixture serves as the second leg of a home-and-home series between the two institutions, which was originally announced in April 2025. The game forms a key component of Iowa’s upcoming nonconference slate, which also features matchups against Virginia Tech, Iowa State, Creighton, Alabama, and South Dakota.
The Musketeers are preparing for the challenge under first-year head coach Richard Pitino, who inherits a squad that finished 15-18 overall and 6-14 in Big East play last season. Xavier’s conference record tied with Georgetown for the worst mark in the league, prompting significant roster changes for the 2026-27 campaign. The university released its nonconference schedule on 22 July 2026, confirming the date and venue for the Iowa visit.
Xavier has bolstered its roster with seven transfers, aiming to stabilise the programme after a difficult previous year. Key additions include Chance Westry from UAB, who averaged 15.5 points per game and earned American Conference Second Team honours, and Mike Nwoko from LSU, who contributed 13.4 points per game. Guard Tru Washington joins from Miami (Fla.) following a season where he averaged 11.9 points, while senior Rubén Dominguez brings shooting experience from Texas A&M, where he shot 40 per cent from three-point range.
Returning contributors include junior forward Jovan Milićević, who was second on the team in scoring last season with 12.4 points per game and reached double figures 22 times. Redshirt sophomore Gabriel Pozzato also returns after sitting out the previous year due to injury. Pozzato previously played for Evansville, where he averaged 14.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in the 2024-25 season, earning Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team recognition.
The previous meeting between the two programmes took place at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where Iowa secured an 81-62 victory. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 21 points in that contest, supported by contributions from Kael Combs, who scored 11, Cam Manyawu with nine, and Tate Sage with eight. The November fixture at the Cintas Center will provide an early test for Pitino’s rebuilt roster against a Hawkeyes side that has maintained a competitive nonconference schedule.
