SEAN BOCK | Hawkeye Insider

The grind of the Big Ten men’s basketball schedule is daunting, which is why it’s important to be tested in the non-conference portion of the season. 

Iowa head coach Ben McCollum has talked about beefing up the non-conference schedule for the Hawkeyes going into his second season, and so far, that seems to be the case as the Hawkeyes have added two more non-conference games against high-major opponents for the 2026-27 season. 

Right now, there are four high-major opponents on Iowa’s non-conference schedule for next season.

“We’re getting there,” McCollum said of finishing the non-conference schedule. “It’s a work in progress, as usual. We’re trying to find power-five games, which is always tricky, first. Then you try to build around that with your other buy games. It’s tricky. We feel like we have a few really good ones. Hopefully, we’re working on one today, and hopefully, I can get some good news that we could get that done, which would be a fun one. Build around that with your buy games.”

Let’s take an early look at Iowa’s three scheduled high-major opponents for the 2026-27 non-conference, and it’s important to remember that there are more in progress. 

Creighton

Date: Nov. 15 

Location: Casey’s Center in Des Moines

Rothstein 45 Ranking: No. 40

Rundown of the Bluejays: It’s a new era in Omaha, as Creighton will now be led by Alan Huss, a former head coach at High Point, and an assistant for the Bluejays the last couple of seasons as Greg McDermott’s tenure has come to a close. Creighton is looking to regroup after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, in which it went 16-18 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 season. 

It’s a new-look team, as Creighton did make some big moves in the transfer portal, adding San Diego State transfer guard BJ Davis as well as South Florida transfer Wes Enis, who was one of the top shooters in the country this past season. Oswin Erhunmwunse is an athletic, rim-running big man from Providence who was one of the best rim protectors and overall rebounders in the Big East last season. 

Creighton also returns Jasen Green and Jackson McAndrew at the forward spots, as Green is a two-way impact piece and versatile option, while McAndrew is an exceptional three-point shooter at his size. 

Hudson Green showed flashes last season in a scoring role, as did Austin Swartz with shooting the three, as he was 40.4 percent in Big East play. Four-star guard Katrelle Harmon was a big pickup for the Jays in the 2026 class, and he could provide an immediate impact with his athleticism and ability to play on the ball. 

Creighton should be an improved team next season, but it’ll be interesting to see how quickly they can gel with a new head coach and also with new pieces on the roster. It looks like a part of a very potent offensive roster, especially with shooting the three. 

Xavier

Date: Nov. 20

Location: Cintas Center (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Rothstein 45 Ranking: NR

Rundown of the Musketeers: It was a rebuilding year in Richard Pitino’s first season as the head coach of the Musketeers. 

Pitino won’t return many from last year’s team, and the lone returner from the rotation is the 6-foot-10 Jovan Milicevic, who was Xavier’s second-leading scorer last season, averaging 12.4 points per game and posting several 20-point outings during Big East play. Milicevic is a skilled big man who shot 40 percent from three last season. 

Xavier will have a potent starting backcourt, which includes the additions of Chance Westry from UAB and Tru Washington from Miami (FL).

Westry averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 assists per game last season, and is on the taller end for a lead guard spot at 6-foot-6. He was 33rd in the assist rate last season, and also gets into the paint at a high rate, but just doesn’t have an elite outside jumper. Washington is a standout defensive option for the Musketeers and also provides a scoring boost, as he averaged 11.9 points per game last season. He also has the ability to create off the bounce for himself, and he shot 35.2 percent from three on 105 attempts this past season. 

Mike Nwoko was a big pickup for Xavier out of LSU, as the 6-foot-10, 260-pound Canadian averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. He is a strong, low-post scorer with a lot of strength, and was very effective scoring as a roller last season for the Tigers. 

Xavier added another high-major transfer from the SEC in Texas A&M transfer Ruben Dominguez, who is listed at 6-foot-6, and was 40 percent from three last season on 215 attempts. 

Gabriel Pozzato was on the Xavier roster last season, but did not suit up due to a knee surgery. Pozzato scored 14.9 points per game as a freshman at Murray State, and is a slashing wing scorer who can play both on and off the ball. 

Xavier added two more mid-major transfers in the frontcourt in Rolyns Aligbe (Southern Illinois) and Nikos Chitikoudis (Robert Morris). 

Aligbe is an athletic, lengthy frontcourt piece with rebounding and defensive chops, while Chitikoudis was an All-Defensive Team selection in the Horizon League last season and also showed an array of offensive prowess and rebounding in the loss to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Chitikoudis finished with 14 points and nine rebounds in the season opener against Iowa in 2024-25. 

Kalek House is a freshman combo guard who, according to Xavier, is exciting and can provide more depth to the backcourt. 

Iowa State

Date: Thursday, Dec. 10 

Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City)

Rothstein 45 Ranking: No. 18 

Rundown of the Cyclones: Iowa State will be faced with having to replace a handful of big-time impact pieces such as Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, and Milan Momcilovic. 

However, TJ Otzelberger does bring back a solid core from last season’s team, spearheaded by the backcourt in Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon, who both showed a lot of promise as freshmen and complement each other very well, along with a rim-running five in Blake Buchanan, as he was an active offensive rebounder and rim protector, and finished well at the rim. 

Iowa State made a few notable additions via the transfer portal, landing Northern Iowa transfer Leon Bond and Northwestern transfer Tre Singleton. Bond can fit well in the Heise role and is a bit more athletic, while also being able to do more on the ball. Singleton is an athletic, versatile four-man with growing skill and playmaking chops. 

Iowa State will also have a couple of mid-major transfers coming off the bench in Bradley transfer Jaquan Johnson and Robert Morris’ Ryan Prather Jr., then Kansas State transfer Taj Manning, who offers more length and physicality on the wing. Johnson is on the shorter side at 5-foot-11 but is quick on the ball and an explosive three-level scorer who can also defend at a high level and be pesky at the point of attack. 

Prather is a knockdown three-point shooter with size and can provide a scoring punch off the bench. 

Dominykas Pleta returns at the backup five for the Cyclones, while Iowa State also brings in a talented freshman class with a lot of potential. 

Iowa State will miss some of its most important pieces from the last few years, as it helped continue a strong foundation, but Otzelberger does bring in a strong transfer portal haul that will fit in well with the returnees. 

Alabama

Date: Dec. 21

Location: Casey’s Center in Des Moines

Rothstein 45 Ranking: No. 22

Alabama loses a lot from last year’s team, but Jon Rothstein puts the Tide at No. 20 in his way-too-early 2026-27 rankings. Second-leading scorer in Aden Holloway, who averaged 16.8 points per game last season, and is one of the best three-point shooters in the country, both off the catch and off the bounce, is entering a program to dismiss his felony charges. Amari Allen, who averaged 11.4 points per game, is slated to return next season and is elite at attacking the rim, making plays off the bounce, and is a great passer and rebounder for his size.

Alabama also added three key pieces via the portal in the frontcourt in Boise State’s Drew Fielder, Kentucky’s Brandon Garrison, and Mississippi State’s Jamarion Davis-Fleming. Alabama will also need 6-foot-8 London Jemison to take a leap forward in the frontcourt. 

Alabama also signed an impressive recruiting class consisting of top-45 prospects in the country in four-star guards Qayden Samuels, Jaxon Richardson, and Tarris Bouie Jr, who are likely going to have to contribute early and often. The decisions of Allen and Holloway will determine what type of role these three will have next season as true freshmen. 

Alabama loses a lot, but it’ll be interesting to see how Oats’ style of play compares to Iowa’s. Alabama boasts a lot of size on its roster, and the return of Holloway and Allen are critical.