Whether inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, international games throughout Italy and Croatia, or in a showcase, the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team draws more eyes than almost anyone else in the sport. They have star power, expectations, a high-scoring offense, and one of the country’s best players in Caitlin Clark.
With that, the Hawkeyes have drawn an invite to participate in the Gulf Coast Classic in Florida this year from Nov. 24-26. The Hawkeyes join the eight-team tournament field. All of the games will be broadcast across FloHoops.
Full bracket ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/eLY1pRGUYc
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) August 3, 2023
Iowa is the sole Big Ten representative in the field, although fellow Power Five programs Kansas State and North Carolina are also taking part. The Hawkeyes traveled to Bramlage Coliseum last season on Nov. 17, 2022, and the Wildcats upset then-No. 4 Iowa, 84-83. Caitlin Clark finished with 27 points in that contest, while shooting just 6-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-7 from 3-point range. Kansas State leads the all-time series over Iowa, 5-1.
Meanwhile, Iowa and North Carolina have split their all-time series at two games apiece. The Hawkeyes last played the Tar Heels on Nov. 18, 2012. UNC captured that contest, 77-64.
The rest of the field includes Western Kentucky, Vermont, Florida Gulf Coast, Delaware, and the Hawkeyes’ opening matchup, Purdue-Fort Wayne. Six of these eight teams advanced to the postseason in some capacity during the 2022-23 season making this an enticing field early in the season to test the Hawkeyes.
Iowa tips off against Purdue-Fort Wayne on Friday, Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. With an opening win, the Hawkeyes’ potential semifinal matchup would come on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. CT against the winner of Florida Gulf Coast-Delaware.
The tournament’s championship game is slated for Sunday, Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Gulf Coast Showcase is in an effort to support the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Bringing the Hawkeyes into the field makes complete sense given how special the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital is to the University of Iowa.
Hawkeyes’ fans will be able to purchase tickets directly from the Gulf Coast Showcase’s website should they want to make a trek south in November for some winter warmth.
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