Iowa men face No. 8 Creighton Tuesday, an early road test to say the least

To say Tuesday’s opponent of the Iowa men’s basketball team is a step up in class is to severely understate matters.

The Hawkeyes go from walloping a pair of mid-majors at home last week to traveling to Omaha, Neb., to challenge a Top 10 opponent in Creighton.

It’s a Gavitt Tipoff Games contest matching Big Ten and Big East teams at CHI Health Center Omaha, and the tipoff isn’t until 9:10 p.m. on FS1.

“Eight” is a relevant number for Greg McDermott’s Bluejays. They are ranked No. 8 in Associated Press’ Top 25, reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tourney last year, and have eight consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins.

After five seasons coaching Northern Iowa (three NCAA tournaments) and four at Iowa State (none), McDermott went to Creighton in 2010, the same year Fran McCaffery came to Iowa.

“He obviously knows what he’s doing and he’s really good,” McCaffery said Monday. “He’s been good for a long time.

“The fan base is engaged. They get 17,000 every night. They’re in a great league. A very competitive basketball league with great interest, a great TV package. And he’s got a terrific staff.

“His culture is exactly what you want if you’re in a place that aspires to be great like Creighton.”

Like Iowa, Creighton has several players who can score. Junior guard Trey Alexander scored 21 and 20 points and averaged 4.5 assists in the Bluejays’ first two games, wins over Florida A&M and North Dakota State.

It’s one of the best perimeter-shooting teams in the nation. Four Bluejays already have made at least five 3-pointers, and the team is averaging 45.5 percent from that distance.

Steven Ashworth is a transfer who was first-team All-Mountain West Conference last season at Utah State. He ranked ninth in the country with his 111 3s, and shot 45.8 percent from deep. He is 6-of-10 from that distance for Creighton.

It’s college road game No. 1 for 40 percent of Iowa’s 10-man rotation, its four freshmen.

“You just want them to play the game the right way,” McCaffery said. “Do what they do. Stay with the game plan. I think that young group is a resilient group. They have to understand that it’s OK to make a mistake. Come back from it.

“I’m going to play them all a fair amount. I’m kind of excited for them.”

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com