IOWA CITY — Caitlin Clark has no problem with the challenge-filled nonconference schedule the Iowa women’s basketball team will play this season.
“The schedule is loaded. That’s what you need to get a one seed in the postseason, and we want to be a one seed going into the NCAA Tournament,’’ Clark said Friday shortly before the Hawkeyes’ 2022-23 nonconference schedule was unveiled.
Before working on defending the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles it won last season, Iowa will prepare with seven home games, a pair of road tests and a neutral-site tourney that could result in a match-up against 2022 NCAA runner-up Connecticut.
"I love really hard games and those are the games you get most excited for so I wouldn’t want it any other way," Clark said. "The Big Ten is going to be good again, too."
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Iowa’s home schedule is highlighted by match-ups against a pair of potential top-20 teams in North Carolina State, which visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Dec. 1, and Iowa State, which plays at Iowa on Dec. 7.
The Hawkeyes open the season with a Nov. 7 game against Southern, three days before Evansville visits. Iowa also has home games against Belmont on Nov. 20, Northern Iowa on Dec. 18 and Dartmouth on Dec. 21.
Iowa will travel to Drake on Nov. 13 and Kansas State on Nov. 17, both prior to the Hawkeyes’ other trip away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
As part of a collection of Thanksgiving week tournaments that will celebrate the contributions Nike co-founder Phil Knight has made to men’s and women’s college basketball, Iowa will play in the Phil Knight Legacy in Portland.
The Hawkeyes will play Oregon State on Nov. 25 in an opening-round game of a four-team tourney. Connecticut and Duke are the other two teams in the event with first-round winners and losers meeting on Nov. 27.
PHOTOS: 42 Quad-City Times BIX 7
Scenes from the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30,
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Elite runners break from the starting line at the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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The National Anthem plays prior to the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Belay Tilahun crosses the finish line in 2nd place in the Quad-City Times Bix 7 Saturday, July 30, 2016 in Davenport, Iowa.
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Isaac Mwangi crosses the finish line in 3rd place in the Quad-City Times Bix 7 Saturday, July 30, 2016 in Davenport, Iowa.
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Chepkoech
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Genesis chief financial officer Mark Rogers runs down the final stretch of the Quad-City Times Bix 7 course Saturday on his way to winning the Isle Casino Beat the Elite challenge.
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Mary Keitany of Kenya wins the Quad-City Times Bix 7 with a women's course record time of 35:18.
Silas Kipruto, 2016
Silas Kipruto of Kenya wins his third Quad-City Times Bix 7 with a time of 33 minutes Saturday, July 30, 2016 in Davenport, Iowa.
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Meb Keflezighi crosses the finish line of the 2016 Quad-City Times Bix 7. He said he will return to the Bix 7 on July 28 after a one-year absence.
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Nancy Van Hemert, of Muscatine, reaches the Quad-City Times Bix 7 finish line to win the Isle Casino Beat the Elite challenge Saturday.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Riders with the Patriot Guards were joined by veterans from the American Legion, the Combat Vets group and the Vietnam Vets club to lead thousands of runners up Brady Street for the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday.
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Runners wait at the starting line prior to the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 Saturday.
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Walkers make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Walkers make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street Hill at the start of the Bix on Saturday.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
Bix 7
Runners wait at the starting line prior to the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Bix 7
Runners wait at the starting line prior to the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
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Dressed in a dinosaur costume, Marcus Rubley of Blue Grass, Iowa, makes his way up Brady Street during the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of Saturday's Bix 7.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Local residents watch runners make thier way up Brady Street during the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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The Don Trimble of Bettendorf, Iowa entry makes it's way up Brady Street hill during the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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The Palmer College of Chiropractic spine winds its way up Brady Street hill at the start of Saturday's Bix 7.
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Former University of Iowa runner Kevin Lewis (right) congratulated Meb Keflezighi after the 2016 Quad-City Bix 7 and on Saturday he helped Minnesota Distance Elite win the Isle Casino Beat the Elite Team Challenge in the virtual Bix 7.
Bix 7 after-party
Race participants dance Saturday during the after-party.
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Scenes from the after-party at the Quad-City Times building on East 3rd Street following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Bix 7 after-party
Scenes from the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Bix 7 after-party
Race participants dance Saturday during the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Bix 7 after-party
Scenes from the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Bix 7 after-party
Scenes from the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
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Quad-City Times Bix 7 race participants swarm the Chick-fil-A table for sandwiches at the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following 2016's 42nd annual race.
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Scenes from the after-party at the Quad-City Times building following the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.
Patriot Guard
Riders with the Patriot Guards were joined by veterans from the American Legion, the Combat Vets group and the Vietnam Vets club to lead thousands of runners up Brady Street for the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday.
Patriot Guard
Riders with the Patriot Guards were joined by veterans from the American Legion, the Combat Vets group and the Vietnam Vets club to lead thousands of runners up Brady Street for the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners have a little fun as they make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
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Runners make their way up the Brady Street hill at the start of the 42nd annual Quad-City Times BIX7 Saturday, July 30, 2016.
