Iowa Reveals Tavion Banks' Status vs. Washington

Sitting at 16-5, the Iowa Hawkeyes know their schedule is about to get a lot tougher. Their 6-4 B1G record is certainly a step in the right direction, though with four Top 12 opponents on the horizon, things could get ugly rather quickly.

Iowa has three more winnable games before they host No. 12 Purdue on Valentines Day. Having won four in a row, Iowa eyes a seven-game win streak heading into a sold-out conference showdown against the Boilermakers.

That said, they need to focus on one game at a time. Coming off a 84-66 win over Oregon, senior guard Tavion Banks was dealing with a bit of an injury. First year head coach Ben McCollum didn't reveal much, but now he provided a positive new update on the Missouri native.

Tavion Banks Should Be Good To Go

Ben McCollum expects Tavion Banks to play tomorrow against Washington.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) February 3, 2026

While McCollum didn't flat out say Banks was playing against Washington, all signs are pointing towards the 6'7'' 215-pounder suiting up. Banks has started all but one game this season, and he's coming off a season low 11 minutes against the Ducks.

Banks has only played fewer than 20 minutes on six occasions this season. Keep in mind, most of those were blowout wins. The Hawkeyes games against Michigan State and Minnesota were the exception to that, and that was simply a coaches decision as Banks wasn't dealing with foul trouble.

Regardless, Iowa needs Banks now more than ever. McCollum didn't reveal much about his injury, but as of February 3 he said he "expects" Banks to play against the Huskies.

Iowa vs. Washington Preview

Iowa G Bennett Stirt — Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) high-fives a teammate during warm-ups before a basketball game against the USC Trojans Jan. 28, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to ESPN Analytics, Iowa is given a 53.9% chance to win this game. One would've expected the odds to be a bit more in their favor coming off their road win against Oregon, but it's not like Washington is a one-win conference team. The Huskies are 12-10 (4-7) and have won two of their last three.

Notably, Washington's last five losses have all been to ranked opponents. Sure, they're just 3-5 in their last eight, but that includes losses to teams ranked No. 5, No. 4, No. 12, No. 7 and No. 9. The B1G is a gauntlet, and Iowa quickly realized that once they began conference play.

Bennett Stirtz led the charge against the Ducks with Banks limited minutes, but it's not like he can set a new career high every game. Washington has four players all averaging more than 13 points per game so the Hawkeyes have to do everything in their power to make sure none of them get hot.

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