Greg Collins has said it all and heard it all pertaining to Western Kentucky’s nonconference schedule.

The first-year coach gets it – three of the first five opponents are ranked in The Associated Press top 15 and WKU (0-2) is working through an inexperienced roster in this trial by fire.

At least from a quantity and skill level, it’s the toughest stretch WKU has had since Collins arrived with then-coach Michelle Clark-Heard six years ago, but the idea isn’t foreign.

WKU has played – and defeated – Power 5 teams before in November and December. That expectation doesn’t change in the third game of the year with No. 13 Iowa coming to E.A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday (6 p.m., ESPN3, WKU PBS).

“What we discount is when someone suggests this schedule is tough and it’s just a nice way of saying we’re not ready to compete at that level,” Collins said. “I remind our players this is what we’re going to do and it’s not going to change, so get used to it and we’re going to adjust and learn from it. We’re going to get there.”

Even in a 90-83 loss at Oklahoma on Friday, the Lady Toppers left the game confident in the way they outscored the Sooners in the second half – including a 35-point fourth quarter – and fought back to lose by seven after trailing by as many as 18 points.

Translating that growth and early experience into a victory Tuesday is the next step. WKU hasn’t started the season 0-3 since Mary Taylor Cowles’ last season in 2011-12 when the Lady Toppers started 0-4.

“I think it’s very important,” WKU guard Dee Givens said. “Everyone is hungry to get a win finally and I think we’re energized and focused to follow the scout and do the best you can.”

Since 2013, WKU has two wins in Diddle Arena against ranked opponents, most recently against a 23rd-ranked Indiana team in 2016.

Tuesday’s meeting with the Hawkeyes is the last of a two-year series. Iowa won 104-97 in overtime last November.

“This is a great opportunity to win a game against a top 25 team in Diddle Arena,” Collins said. “We don’t get those opportunities a lot and so we want to capitalize on that. If anything we’ve learned from Louisville and Oklahoma that would help us to win, then I think that would show up but regardless on the outcome, we’re trying to build and grow so we can compete against this level of talent. We’re going to play more teams like this, so it’s not going to stop.”

Any success Iowa has will run through reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Megan Gustafson. The 6-foot-3 forward is a preseason All-American who torched WKU for 35 points and 17 rebounds last season.

In Iowa’s opener against Oral Roberts, Gustafson had 23 points and 17 rebounds.

“They have one of the best post players in the country,” Givens said. “One of our biggest focuses is to limit her touches as much as possible, slow down the guard and limit the 3-point shooting. I know their offense runs through her a lot. Limit her touches and do our work early in the post on her.”

Givens led WKU in scoring at Oklahoma with 21 points and featured the first major contributions from two newcomers expected to make a big difference in the Lady Toppers’ lineup. Sophomore Arame Niang made her WKU debut after battling knee complications with 12 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.

Freshman Meral Abdelgawad made her second start and scored 15 points with nine rebounds, five assists and a steal in 35 minutes.

“Meral is going to be one of the best freshmen in this conference,” Collins said. “You’re going to see her continue to improve and learn. Her turnovers are dropping and her decision-making is improving.

“It was good to get Arame out there. We were testing the waters to see how she felt. Everything considered, she did fine. She’s still learning what we’re doing as a team. She’s not been in practice for four weeks prior to last week, so we’re trying to feel her way out a bit and trying to reassemble her way into the team. She’ll get there as well.”

No. 13 Iowa (1-0) at Western Kentucky (0-2)

6 p.m., Tuesday, Diddle Arena

Probable starters

Western Kentucky – Whitney Creech, g, 5-8, jr. (7.0 ppg, 2.5 apg); Alexis Brewer, g, 5-9, r-jr. (14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Meral Abdelgawad, g, 5-11, fr. (9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Dee Givens, f, 6-1, r-jr. (19.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Raneem Elgedawy, f, 6-4, so. (14.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg)

Iowa – Megan Gustafson, c, 6-3, sr. (23.0 ppg, 17.0 rpg); Makenzie Meyer, g, 5-9, jr. (13.0 ppg, 3.0 apg); Alexis Sevillian, g, 5-5, r-so. (18.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg); Tania Davis, g, 5-3, sr. (9.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Hannah Stewart, f, 6-2, sr. (19.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg)

TV – ESPN3, WKU PBS

Radio ESPN 102.7 FM or 1450 AM

Coaches: Greg Collins (0-2 first season), Western Kentucky; Lisa Bluder (368-210 19th year, 724-352 overall) Iowa.

Series record: Iowa leads 4-3 (Hawkeyes won last meeting 104-97 in overtime on Nov. 11, 2017, in Ames, Iowa).

Last time out: Western Kentucky lost 90-83 at Oklahoma on Friday; Iowa defeated Oral Roberts 90-77 on Friday.