The Iowa basketball team returns to action on Tuesday night at Wake Forest. It’s part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says he thinks it is a great series that he has enjoyed watching over the years. He says it generates interest in the game.
The Hawkeyes are 3-3 on the season while Wake Forest is also 3-3 under first year coach Jeff Bzdelik who took over the program after a three year stint at Colorado. McCaffery says Wake has tremendous talent and quickness, but are making some mistakes because of their youth.
McCaffery says this would be a big early win for the Hawkeyes, as he says any time you play an established program like Wake Forest, it is another step to where you want to take the program. He says any good team has to show they can win games on the road.
This will be the Hawks’ first true road test of the season. McCaffrey says it will be similar to what they see in the Big Ten as the energy level will be dramatically different and they will have to make sure they don’t make as many mistakes as they have made.
Sophomore Cully Payne is sidelined with a sports hernia so junior college transfer Bryce Cartwright becomes the starting point guard. He has been averaging over nine points per game off the bench. McCaffrey says he expects good things from Cartwright and he will have to be ready to play more minutes.