The Iowa Hawkeyes open the Big Ten race at home, tonight, against 24th ranked Michigan State. The Hawks have been picked to finish near the bottom of the league standings and take an 8-6 mark into the contest.
Iowa coach Steve Alford says they’ve made some strides, but they won’t know until they get into conference play. Rebounding has been a major problem for the Hawkeyes and it will be a key in this game. Alford says Michigan State always presents that challenge, and he says they now are facing the Spartans with youth instead of experience.
Alford says a victory would be a great way to open the conference race. He says it boosts your confidence to start out with a win, especially at home. Iowa has won three games in a row and Alford says they’ve all been in preparation for this opener. The Spartans are 13-2.