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Iowa's Bennett Stirtz (14) shoots against Illinois' Tomislav Ivišić during the second half of an Elite Eight game in the NCAA Tournament on March 28, 2026, in Houston. (Ashley Landis/AP)
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz (14) shoots against Illinois’ Tomislav Ivišić during the second half of an Elite Eight game in the NCAA Tournament on March 28, 2026, in Houston. (Ashley Landis/AP)
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Hawkeyes now own a keepsake from their 2025-26 run to the Elite Eight — the basketball court they played on in Houston.

The athletic department announced Friday it purchased the NCAA Houston Regional court at Toyota Center and will use it to replace the floor at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The price was not disclosed.

Iowa lost to Illinois in the Elite Eight after the Hawkeyes beat Nebraska 77-71 in the Sweet 16 to advance.

The current Carver-Hawkeye court was installed in 2016 and was due for replacement.

For the first time since the arena opened in 1983, the parquet layout will be replaced with a single-surface design featuring a few new elements. Installation will begin next week.

The new maple court was manufactured by Connor Sports, a longtime provider of flooring for NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.