The Cam Cougars continued right where they left off a week ago when they defeated AHSTW at home in the season opener as they traveled to Ankeny Christian and defeated the Eagles 72-41. The Cougars were led by their defense all night long as they went to a full court press all night long and forced the Eagles to quick tough shots and tried to eliminate senior leader Chloe Roe who had 16 points in the Eagles season opener. The Cougars on the evening forced nine steals and were able to push the basketball in transition for some easy layups and allowed the Cougars to blow the score wide open. Head Coach of the Cam Cougars Joe Wollum said Meredith Rich really set the tone defensively tonight for his Cougars ball team.

On the offensive end of the floor the Cougars waste absolutely no time in pushing the ball up the floor. After several Eagles baskets the Cougars were quick to get the ball in to Eva Steffenson where she would kick the ball up the floor for an easy layup or wide open 15 foot jump shot. The senior Steffenson led the way playing an all around game on her way to a triple double of 15 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Coach Wollum said that Steffenson is one of the best in the state at advancing the ball open the floor.

The Cam Cougars rolled a team in Ankeny Christian who won 20 games a season ago and was the Bluegrass Conference champions. Head Coach Joe Wollum said this is a huge confidence boost as his team faces off against Coon-Rapids Bayard who is ranked in the top 15 of the State.

The Cougars will be back in action on Friday Night at home to take on the Crusaders in a girls and boys varsity double header for a 6pm start time.

Iowa offensive lineman Mason Richman says time of possession will be a key this week when the Hawkeyes play Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Hawkeyes need to find a way to keep the nation’s worst offense on the field.

Time of possession also helps the Hawkeyes in the battle for field position.

Richman says they are not concerned about the talk of this game being a mismatch.

The Iowa defense has carried the Hawkeyes this season but that unit has a huge challenge in Saturday night’s Big Ten Championship game. Iowa gave up just over 12 points per game in Big 10 play but must find a way to slow down a Michigan offense that averaged more than 39 points. Wolverine quarterback JJ McCarthy is 19-0 as a starter against Big 10 foes.

McCarthy was the quarterback a year ago when the Wolverines used a balanced attack in a 27-14 win in Kinnick Stadium.

McCarthy says he always thought this game could happen, especially before his former Michigan teammates Cade McNamara and Erick All were injured.

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins says the Hawkeyes are not concerned about the narrative that they have no chance against second ranked Michigan in this week’s Big Ten Championship Game. The 18th ranked Hawkeyes are a better than three touchdown underdog and two years ago were clobbered in the title game by the Wolverines 42-3.

Despite the loss of several key players to injury and its top defensive lineman to suspension the Hawkeyes are 10-2 and a win away from a 12th Big Ten title in program history.

Higgins says the Hawkeyes have overcome a lot of obstacles just to get to this point.

Michigan senior running back Blake Corum is excited to have head coach Jim Harbaugh back for Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game against Iowa. Harbaugh was suspended by the conference for the past three games in the midst of a sign stealing scandal.

Corum says has missed Harbaugh’s pregame speeches.

Corum missed last year’s postseason with a knee injury and returned for a final season hoping to make another run.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr., Baylor’s RayJ Dennis and UCF’s Jaylin Sellers picked up Big 12 men’s basketball awards as McCullar nabbed the second-consecutive Player of the Week honor for the Jayhawks while Dennis and Sellers shared Newcomer of the Week.

McCullar averaged 20.0 points and 8.3 rebounds during Kansas’ appearance at the Maui Invitational, which included games against two top-7 teams. The graduate senior recorded his second straight triple-double (22 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast) in the game against Chaminade to become the first Big 12 student-athlete and the seventh overall in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. During the Jayhawks’ loss to then-No. 4 ranked Marquette, McCullar shot 64.3% (9-14) from the field for 24 points before he closed the week with 14 points and a team high-tying eight rebounds against Tennessee.

Dennis earned the NIT Season Tip-off MVP honor after a season-high 24-point and an eight-assist performance to lead Baylor to the tournament title. Facing Florida in the championship game, the senior scored 22 points in the second half where his last three baskets extended BU’s lead to two possessions. Against Oregon State, he registered a team-high six assists. During the week, Dennis averaged 16 points, 7.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals.

Sellers went 12-of-16 against Stetson for a career-high 34 points en route to the Knights’ first Big 12 MBB weekly award. His 34 points were the most registered by any Big 12 men’s basketball student-athlete in a single contest this season. Sellers opened the week with 19 points and six rebounds during UCF’s 74-71 win against Charlotte. In two games, the junior averaged 26.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s basketball team is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Top-25 released on Monday.

The Hawkeyes have been ranked in the Top-5 since the poll came out since Oct. 17. UI is off to its best start since the 2020-21 season. (7-1)

Iowa has 317 appearances in the AP Poll and the Hawkeyes rank 23rd for all-time appearances.

The Hawkeyes are coming off three wins in three days to claim the Gulf Coast Showcase Championship over Purdue Fort Wayne, FGCU, and No. 14 Kansas State. Over the weekend, Lisa Bluder claimed her 500th career win at the University of Iowa.

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The fourth ranked Hawkeyes are set to host Bowling Green on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 12:30 p.m. (CT) inside a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The contest will air on FS1 and the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Iowa State’s Abu Sama III (offensive and newcomer), Oklahoma State’s Trey Rucker (defensive) and Baylor’s Richard Reese (special teams) picked up the season’s final Big 12 football weekly awards. Sama was honored for the second week in the last three while Reese was recognized for the third time in his career.

Making his first career start, Sama finished with 276 yards on 16 carries for a 17.2-yard average in Iowa State’s 42-35 win over K-State played in a snowstorm. The true freshman running back had a 71-yard rushing touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and added scoring runs of 77 and 60 yards later in the game. His 276 rushing yard total was the fourth-most in school history, most in a road game in school history and the most by a Cyclone freshman. Sama was the second FBS player since 1996 with three or more rushing touchdowns of 60 yards against a ranked opponent and the first player in the Big 12 to have two 70-plus yard rushing touchdowns in a game since Adrian Peterson in 2005. His 276 yards were the fourth-most in a single game in the FBS this season. Sama also had one reception for 11 yards as ISU improved from one Big 12 win in 2022 to six conference wins this season, the biggest improvement by a zero or one-win team in league history.

Rucker recorded both of OSU’s forced turnovers in the Cowboys’ 40-34 double-overtime win over BYU to reach the Big 12 Championship. He made the game-clinching play on the final snap of the game when he wrestled down a 6-6, 255-pound tight end while ripping out the ball to force a fumble right before the ball carrier was down. Rucker then immediately recovered the ball while still on the ground to end the game and send the Cowboys to Arlington. Earlier in the game, the university studies major recovered a fumble at the BYU 19-yard line that led to OSU’s second score of the game. The senior safety finished with six total tackles, including five solo stops and a third-down solo stop in the fourth quarter that forced a punt and led to an OSU touchdown on the following drive.

Reese returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in Baylor’s game against West Virginia. Trailing 10-0, Reese raced 96 yards to get the Bears on the board. On the very next WVU kickoff, Reese took another one back 93 yards to pull BU back within three again at 17-14. The sophomore communication major became just the second Baylor player in program history with two kick return TDs in the same game, and the first to do so on consecutive kicks. He finished the game with 247 return yards on five attempts.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, it was announced Monday by the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation. The Broyles Award is presented annually to the top assistant coach in college football.

Parker is the only defensive coach among the five finalists for the distinguished award. Other finalists include offensive coordinators from Georgia (Mike Bobo), LSU (Mike Denbrock), Michigan (Sherrone Moore) and Oregon (Will Stein).

Parker was named a Broyles Award semifinalist for the second straight year on Nov. 20. Two Hawkeye coaches — Norm Parker (2013) and Ron Aiken (2002) — have been named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. Norm Parker was also a finalist in 2004 and 2005.

The finalists will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, for the award ceremony on Dec. 5.

Parker, who is in his 25th season on Iowa’s coaching staff (12th as defensive coordinator), has been the mastermind behind one of the nation’s top defenses in 2023. The Hawkeyes have allowed just 13 touchdowns in 12 games (tied for fewest in the NCAA with Ohio State) and the unit ranks fourth nationally, giving up 12.2 points per game.

The Hawkeyes have given up one touchdown or less in 10 of 12 games this season and the unit is ranked in the top 17 nationally in total defense for a sixth straight year. The team is currently seventh in total defense, allowing 279.9 yards per game. Iowa’s defense has allowed 400 yards or less in 23 straight games dating back to the 2021 season — the longest active streak nationally.

One of Parker’s main principles is limiting “explosive” plays. In 2023, the Hawkeyes have allowed just 18 such plays in the team’s first 12 games.

Across the board, Iowa ranks in the top 25 nationally in virtually every defensive category this season, sitting third in red zone defense (.708), fourth in team passing efficiency defense (99.46), seventh in total defense (279.9), 10th in first downs defense (192), 16th in rushing defense (105.6) and 23rd in third down conversion defense (.325).

Under Parker’s tutelage, three defensive players — DB Cooper DeJean, DB Sebastian Castro and LB Jay Higgins — were midseason All-Americans. DeJean is a finalist for the Nagurski Award and a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, while Higgins was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.

The Hawkeyes return to action Dec. 2, traveling to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game. Iowa will face nationally-ranked Michigan at 7:17 p.m. (CT) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

2023 Broyles Award Finalists

Mike Bobo (Offensive Coordinator/QB — Georgia

Phil Parker (Defensive Coordintaor/Secondary) — Iowa 

Mike Denbrock (Offensive Coordinator/TE) — LSU

Sherrone Moore (Offensive Coordinator/OL) — Michigan

Will Stein (Offensive Coordinator) — Oregon