By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Brock Harding and Owen Freeman will get to play in front of their friends back home this season.

Iowa’s men’s basketball team will play Washington State at Vibrant Arena in Moline, Ill., on November 15, the Hawkeyes’ first appearance at the arena in 26 years.

It will be a return home for sophomores Harding and Freeman, who led Moline High School to a state championship in 2023. Harding was Illinois’ Mr. Basketball that season, while Freeman was an all-state selection.

“We are looking forward to playing in the Quad Cities against a strong Washington State team,” said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. “We’re excited to be able to bring our program back to the venue for the first time in 26 years. I am thrilled for Brock and Owen to be able to play a college basketball game in their hometown.”

It’s the first game for Iowa in Moline since a 1998 neutral-court game against Western Illinois. The Hawkeyes also played a 1995 NIT game against DePaul there.

Iowa will be playing Washington State for the second time in program history.

CANCUN CHALLENGE: Iowa’s women’s basketball team will be playing Rhode Island and BYU in the Women’s Cancun Challenge.

The Hawkeyes will play Rhode Island on November 28 in a 5:30 p.m. game, then will play BYU at 8 p.m. on November 29.

The event will be at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Photo: Iowa’s Owen Freeman dunks in a game against North Florida next season. (Stephen Mally/hawkeyesports.com)