Iowa finished their non-conference schedule 9–3, with losses to Dayton (82-77), #17 Notre Dame (68-62), and rivals #4 Iowa State (83-82). Coach McCaffery opened Big Ten play with a victory over #1 Michigan State (83-70). The Hawkeyes finished conference play 12-6 for the second straight season, with two wins over ranked Purdue, two wins over Michigan, and a second win over Michigan State, this time ranked #4, 76–59. McCaffrey's Hawkeyes lost to Illinois (68-66) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, but finished tied for third in the conference for the second straight year. Iowa earned a 7th seed in the NCAA tournament, also for the second straight year, and beat Temple (72-70) in the Round of 64. The Hawkeyes lost in the third round of the tournament for the second year in a row, this time to eventual champion Villanova (87–68). In a year where history seemed to repeat itself, McCaffery's Hawkeyes again won 22 games en route to a 22–11 season.