By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Iowa’s men’s basketball team will return to Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for a game next season.

The Hawkeyes will play Bucknell on Saturday, December 20, it was announced Wednesday by Global Sports Management.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, June 6 at 11 a.m. (CDT) at hyveetix.com.  The start time has not been announced.

“We are excited to bring our team to Wells Fargo Arena in December to showcase our players to our fan base in the Des Moines metro area,” said Iowa coach Ben McCollum. “This is a great opportunity to play a strong Bucknell team on a neutral court and to continue to build excitement for our program.” 

Iowa has won seven of its last eight games in Wells Fargo Arena since 2013.  The Hawkeyes last played there in the 2023-24 season, defeating Florida A&M, 88-52.

Bucknell was co-regular season champion of the Patriot League last season, going 13-5 in the conference and finishing 18-15 overall. The Bison are led by third-year head coach John Griffin III.

Iowa is 1-0 all-time against the Bison, winning 91-52 in Iowa City during the 1997-98 season.   The Hawkeyes are 14-0 all-time against current programs from the Patriot League.