This will be Iowa's first trip to Seattle since the 1966-67 season. Tip off from Hec Edmudnson Pavilion is set for 10 p.m. CST on Big Ten Network.
After taking care of business against Oregon on Sunday evening, Iowa basketball (16-5, 6-4) is back in action on Wednesday night for the conclusion of its two-game Pacific Northwest road trip against the Washington Huskies (12-10, 4-7).
This will be Iowa's first trip to Seattle since the 1966-67 season, when it played Washington on back-to-back days. The series is tied, 3-3, and the Hawkeyes won the inaugural conference meeting in Iowa City last year.
Game Information/Notes
Wednesday's game is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. CST on Big Ten Network (Aaron Goldsmith, Don MacLean).
Per Draft Kings, Iowa is a -2.5-point favorite (Total is set at 139.5).
Iowa's 16-5 start through 21 games is its best since the 2018-19 season. The Hawkeyes have won four straight in Big Ten play for the first time since the 2022-23 season.Iowa’s last five-game Big Ten winning streak came during the 2021-22 campaign.
Senior Bennett Stirtz erupted for a career-high 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting with four three-pointers, seven assists, two steals and zero turnovers in Iowa’s road win at Oregon. He is the first player in the StatHead era to have 30+ points, 6+ assists and zero turnovers.
Senior Tavion Banks has made 30 consecutive free throws, dating back to Dec. 20 against Bucknell. Iowa’s program record is 34 consecutive makes by Chris Street and Jordan Bohannon.
Iowa ranks 15th nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 50.8 percent. The team also is 12th in effective field goal percentage (.585).
The Hawkeyes are allowing 63 points per game -- the fewest in the Big Ten and fourth-fewest nationally. Iowa has held six opponents under 60 points this season, and each opponent has failed to reach its season scoring average when facing the Hawkeyes.
The rundown
Washington's average record wouldn't make the casual fan bat an eye, but when the draws are pulled back, this is a talented basketball team that is very capable of beating anyone on its schedule.
As of Feb. 3, the Huskies won't play another ranked opponent for the rest of the way, which has some fans dreaming of a potential late-season run. Second-year head coach Danny Sprinkle has won everywhere he's coached (Montana State and Utah State), and he finally has a healthy roster for the first time all season.
USC transfer Desmond Claude hasn't played since Jan. 14, but he's received plenty of help from freshman Hannes Steinbach. The 6-foot-11 forward leads the Huskies in both points (17.6) and rebounds (11.4) per game, reaching double figures in each contest.
6-foot-4 guard Zoom Diallo (15.2 PPG) could present problems with his length, while USC transfer Wesley Yates III (13.3 PPG) continues to increase his point total each night after recovering from wrist surgery.
Despite battling the injury bug throughout the majority of conference play, Washington still averages 73.9 points per game against league foes, while allowing opponents to collect 75.9 per contest.
The Huskies have a distinct rebounding edge over the Hawkeyes, tallying 35.1 boards per game - fifth-best in the Big Ten.
Prediction: Iowa 73, Washington 70
This is a coin-flip game, but the difference in this game will be Bennett Stirtz. Washington has solid guard play, but it lacks an elite point guard like Stirtz. Both clubs will fight back-and-forth with each other for most of the night, but Stirtz will take matters into his own hands and make sure Iowa leaves the Pacific Northwest with two wins.