Men’s basketball to compete at 2nd Annual IA/MO Challenge

WEST BURLINGTON – Eight Division I Men's Basketball teams from Iowa and Missouri will meet in the second annual IA-MO Challenge hosted in West Burlington, IA. The games this year will be played at Southeastern Community College on Friday, Nov. 12 and Saturday, November 13.

The challenge was created in 2019 with cooperation between Division I coaches from both Iowa and Missouri. The aim of the challenge was to strengthen the schedules of all teams involved and make it a fun experience in the same vein as similar NCAA Division I challenges like the Big 10/ACC Challenge and Big 12/SEC Challenge.

The group of Iowa schools narrowly defeated the Missouri schools over the two days, walking away with a 5-3 record, and possession of the challenge's traveling trophy. Iowa Western battled Moberly Area in the closest and most exhilarating game of the two-day challenge. Iowa Western found themselves down 16 points at halftime to the then ninth-ranked Greyhounds. In the second half it was all Iowa Western as they stormed back and won the game on a last second game-winning layup.

After the success of the inaugural IA-MO challenge, a second year was greenlit. Plans were then set in 2020 to continue this new cross-state challenge, however it had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now in 2021 as we are climbing out of the pandemic and there are less restrictions, it is now possible for the IA-MO challenge to start back up.

The 2021 IA-MO Challenge will feature the same schools that participated in 2019 except for the Iowa Western Reivers. Iowa Western was a participant in the 2019 IA-MO challenge but have since moved down to Division II Men's Basketball. The empty spot on the Iowa side of the challenge will be filled this year by Triton from River Grove, Illinois. The 2021 IA-MO challenge will start on Friday at 2 pm as Triton takes on Three Rivers.

Participant schools Indian Hills and Moberly both come into the 2021 IA-MO challenge as ranked teams. Indian Hills comes in ranked 13th and Moberly at 20th. Both teams look to continue their success from last season and will square off against each other this year. The top ranked matchup will be on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

MCC will play State Fair on Friday at 4 pm and Three Rivers at 1 pm on Saturday. The Tigers will also be one of five teams in consideration in the DI rankings competing in the event.