Iowa vs. Oregon Predictions: Tavion Banks Makes History

Iowa Hawkeyes senior guard Tavion Banks is a few free throws away from etching his name in the record books.

While his record is far more controversial than one could've imagined, it's only a matter of time before Hawkeyes fans find out what his decision will be.

Banks could go down as the man to make the most consecutive free throws in program history, or he could purposely miss like Jordan Bohannon did in 2018 to keep the record alive.

Either way, winning is the No. 1 priority. Coming off an ugly win against USC, Iowa is tasked with playing at Oregon to begin a two-game West Coast trip.

Iowa Hands Oregon Their 10th Conference Loss

Gameday in Eugene. pic.twitter.com/zga9YW19pg
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) February 1, 2026

In no world should Iowa be in the same conversation as Oregon. The Hawkeyes head to Matthew Knight Arena rocking a 15-5 (5-4 Big Ten) record while the Ducks are a disastrous 8-13 (1-9 Big Ten). ESPN Analytics always loves to give the home team an advantage, but they knew that wasn't a possibility for this one. Hours before tipoff, Iowa is given a 69.3% chance to win.

Since the calendar turned to 2026, Oregon is just 1-8. They've lost seven straight, with their lone win being at Maryland on Jan. 10. Shockingly, they won that game by 10 points. Back on Dec. 6, Iowa took down the Terrapins, 83-64.

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cam Manyawu (3) shoots the ball over between Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) and Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) during the first half in the men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Regardless, Oregon has played a trio of ranked opponents in their seven-game skid. They lost convincingly to No. 8 Nebraska, 90-55, but followed it up with a 10-point home loss to No. 4 Michigan. Since then, they've lost with nearly identical scores at Washington (72-57) and vs. UCLA (73-57).

Tavion Banks Is Five Free Throws Away

Battled together. 👊🔊

Step inside the locker room after our Game 20 W! pic.twitter.com/z2TbK2lxEU
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 29, 2026

Free throws are never a guarantee, as one never knows what type of game the referees are going to call. That said, Banks has had plenty go his way these past few games with nine trips to the line against Indiana and eight against USC.

There's still a chance Banks could attempt fewer than five free throws in a two-game span and set the record at home, but that's not something first-year head coach Ben McCollum is worried about. If it's meant to be, it'll be.

Winning games should be where Iowa's sole focus is. Anything else that happens is the cherry on top, and that could very well become a reality with Banks against the Ducks. He's 18-for-18 in his last three games from the charity stripe, and half of those were drilled away from home.

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