Big Four Classic

Iowa's Devyn Marble (4) huge Northern Iowa's Marc Sonnen (23) following their game in the Big Four Classic Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)

Future dates set for Big Four Classic, Iowa-ISU games

Iowa pays non-conference opponents $710,000 in guarantees this year

IOWA CITY — The Big Four Classic’s second installment will be staged Dec. 7, 2013 at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena, according to the updated contract and others obtained by The Gazette through state open-records laws. The event boasts the state’s four Division I men’s basketball programs. The inaugural Big Four Classic was held last Saturday [...]

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Iowa's Devyn Marble did more than score. Here, he blocks an Anthony James shot. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG(

Hlas column: Big Four was nice and all, but it was no Classic

Big boys Iowa and Iowa State got their way, on and off the court 2

  DES MOINES — Iowa and Iowa State venturing to play at Northern Iowa and Drake made men’s college basketball unique in Iowa. The big Division I programs seldom play at smaller in-state schools anywhere else, let alone every other year. You come to them, if they deign to even allow you on their schedules. [...]

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Drake's Chris Hines (4) collects a loose ball in front of Iowa State's Anthony Booker (22) during their game in the Big Four Classic Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)

Big Four Classic a success but emotions remain

Drake, UNI preferred home-and-home arrangement

    DES MOINES — Drake and Iowa State boast one of the oldest rivalries west of the Mississippi River, playing one another for 104 of the last 105 seasons. Iowa State beat Drake 86-77 on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena as part of the inaugural Big Four Classic, a showcase event in downtown Des [...]

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