By John Bohnenkamp

Road games against Virginia and Iowa State and a neutral-court game against Utah State highlight Iowa’s 2021-22 men’s basketball nonconference schedule.

The Hawkeyes’ entire schedule, including the 20-game Big Ten slate, was released Wednesday afternoon. Iowa opens conference play at Dec. 3 at Purdue, with a home game against Illinois on Dec. 6.

The Hawkeyes have 11 nonconference games — eight home, two road, and the neutral-court game against Utah State on Dec. 18.

Iowa brings back three starters from last season, including guard Jordan Bohannon (10.6 ppg) and forward Keegan Murray (7.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg).

A breakdown of the nonconference schedule:

Nov. 9, vs. Longwood (12-17 overall, 10-10 Big South, 258 NET, 247 KenPom)

Nov. 12, vs. Kansas City (11-13 overall, 7-7 Summit League, 241 NET, 208 KenPom)

Nov. 16, vs. North Carolina Central (5-9 overall, 3-5 MEAC, 328 NET, 330 KenPom)

Nov. 18, vs. Alabama State (4-14 overall, 4-14 SWAC, 343 NET, 354 KenPom)

Nov. 22, vs. Western Michigan (5-16 overall, 4-12 Mid-American Conference, 301 NET, 274 KenPom)

Nov. 26, vs. Portland State (9-13 overall, 6-8 Big Sky, 259 NET, 245 KenPom)

Nov. 29, at Virginia in ACC/Big Ten Challenge (18-7 overall, 13-4 ACC, 20 NET, 19 KenPom)

Dec. 9, at Iowa State (2-22, 0-18 Big 12, 224 NET, 171 KenPom)

Dec. 18, vs. Utah State in Sioux Falls, S.D. (20-9 overall, 15-4 Mountain West Conference, 47 NET, 46 KenPom)

Dec. 21, vs. Southeastern Louisiana (8-18 overall, 5-10 Southland, 330 NET, 336 KenPom

Dec. 29, vs. Western Illinois (7-15 overall, 5-9 Summit League, 309 NET, 290 KenPom

The Big Ten schedule

Dec. 3 — at Purdue

Dec. 6 — Illinois

Jan. 3 — Maryland

Jan. 6 — at Wisconsin

Jan. 13 — Indiana

Jan. 16 — at Minnesota

Jan. 19 — at Rutgers

Jan. 22 — Penn State

Jan. 27 — Purdue

Jan. 31 — at Penn State

Feb. 3 — at Ohio State

Feb. 6 — Minnesota

Feb. 10 — at Maryland

Feb. 13 — Nebraska

Feb. 17 — Michigan

Feb. 22 — Michigan State

Feb. 25 — at Nebraska

Feb. 28 — Northwestern

March 3 — at Michigan

March 6 — at Illinois

Photo: Iowa’s Keegan Murray blocks a shot in last season’s game against Iowa State. (Brian Ray/hawkeyesports.com)