It’s Official: Iowa Hawkeye Basketball is Returning to the Sanford Pentagon

The Sanford Pentagon had a big announcement on Thursday as they have once again delivered on a top-flight college basketball matchup.

The University of Iowa will take on Oregon State on December 22 in a regular-season game at the Sanford Pentagon.

This marks once again, the Pentagon's commitment to delivering marquee games to the Sioux Falls community while promoting the tremendous brand of Sanford Sports nationally.

The Pentagon has hosted Iowa before, along with other top programs like Memphis, Iowa State, Wichita State, Wisconsin, and more.

Here is the official release from the Sanford Pentagon on their upcoming game between Iowa and Oregon State.

The Sanford Pentagon will host Iowa and Oregon State in a regular-season men’s college basketball game on Dec. 22.

Tickets will go on sale later. Television coverage will determine the start time.

Major Division I games take many months to negotiate and finalize, and this matchup was in the works well before COVID-19 concerns developed. The Sanford Pentagon will work closely with the schools and individual states and be ready to adjust based on guidelines and safety measures for all involved.

“We’re excited to have a basketball game to talk about, and we hope it will be played in front of a full house on national television, but if that may not be the case, adjustments will be made,” said Steve Young, president of Sanford Sports. “It’s a thrill to welcome Iowa back to the Pentagon, and we know the Beavers will have a memorable experience as well.”

The contest will be Iowa’s second trip to the Pentagon, which has hosted 28 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball games since opening in 2013. The Hawkeyes defeated Colorado, 80-73, on Dec. 22, 2017. This will be Oregon State’s first visit to the Pentagon.

A member of the Big Ten Conference, Iowa is coming off a 20-11 season, and a fifth-place conference finish with a mark of 11-9. The Hawkeyes were scheduled to play Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament before the game and tournament were canceled to due COVID-19 concerns.

Iowa is an unofficial preseason Top-5 team for the 2020-21 season. All-American center Luka Garza has declared for the NBA Draft but has left open the possibility of returning to school for his senior season. The Hawkeyes have six other players returning with starting experience, including upperclassmen all-conference honorees Jordan Bohannon and Joe Wieskamp, and Connor McCaffery, who led all Division I players in the assist-to-turnover ratio a year ago.

“We are thrilled to return to Sioux Falls and play another game at the Sanford Pentagon,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “The community response to our last visit three years ago was overwhelming. We look forward to the opportunity to play against a well-coached Oregon State team.”

Oregon State finished the 2019-20 season with an 18-13 record, including wins over Top 25 teams Colorado, Oregon, and Arizona. The Beavers defeated Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament and were scheduled to play No. 1-seed Oregon in the quarterfinals, but the game was canceled due to COVID-19.

Ethan Thompson, who started every game his first three years at Oregon State, put his name in the 2020 NBA Draft. If he returns, the Beavers will have three seniors – Thompson (94), Alfred Hollins (53), and Zach Reichle – who have started a combined 191 games in their college careers. Other top returners include senior Roman Silva and sophomores Jarod Lucas, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer against Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament, Gianni Hunt and Dearon Tucker.

“We’re really looking forward to being a part of such an incredible event,” said Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle. “We’ve heard nothing but great things about the Sanford Pentagon and the atmosphere around the game. We know we’re facing a very tough opponent in Iowa, but it should be a terrific experience for our team.”

Oregon State leads the all-time series against Iowa, 5-2, with the last meeting coming 37 years ago. The Beavers beat the Hawkeyes, 53-48, on Dec. 10, 1983, in Corvallis, Oregon.

Stay tuned to ESPN 99.1 for a release date on ticket sales and more updates on future games at the Pentagon.