(Radio Iowa) – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz hopes his team can avoid the COVID issues that have affected numerous pro and college teams. The Hawkeyes head to Orlando Sunday for the Citrus Bowl. Texas A@M withdrew from the Gator Bowl because of a COVID outbreak.

Ferentz says COVID has had little impact on the team to this point.

The Hawkeyes take a 10-3 record into a New Year’s Day game against 9-3 Kentucky.

DES MOINES — The Drake University women’s basketball team hit Minnesota with a barrage of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and pulled away to a 77-63 victory at the Knapp Center on Thursday afternoon to close out the nonconference portion of its schedule with an impressive win.

The Bulldogs (8-3) bounced back from a disappointing performance in a loss at Nebraska on Sunday with a 48-point second half that featured the type of play Drake fans have become accustomed to seeing — crisp passes that found open shooters or led to layups and sharp shooting.

Ahead just 29-27 at halftime, Drake shot 73.9 percent in the second half (17-of-23), including a sizzling 8-for-10 effort in the third quarter. That carried the Bulldogs to 48.3 percent for the game (29-of-60) and they had assists on 24 of those baskets.

Drake was clinging to 53-51 lead when the 3-pointers began raining in. The Bulldogs made six straight from behind the arc in a 5-minute stretch to blow out to a 77-58 lead.

Drake, which has won seven of its last eight, opens Missouri Valley Conference play against Indiana State at the Knapp Center on Thursday, Dec. 30. The 8-3 record is the Bulldogs’ best mark in nonconference play since the 1994-95 team went 8-0 en route to a 13-0 start.

2021–22 FIFTH Iowa Girls High School Basketball Rankings
Compiled by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union
Thursday, December 23, 2021

Class 1A
School Record LW
1 Newell–Fonda 8–1 1
2 Bishop Garrigan 7–3 2
3 Exira–EHK 6–0 3
4 Springville 11–0 4
5 North Linn 9–1 5
6 MMCRU 6–0 6
7 Burlington Notre Dame 8–0 7
8 North Mahaska 8–1 8
9 Storm Lake St. Mary’s 6–0 9
10 East Buchanan 7–1 10
11 Martensdale St. Mary’s 10–0 NR
12 Stanton 7–0 12
13 Westwood 8–1 14
14 Montezuma 7–2 11
15 Woodbine 6–0 15
Dropped Out: Central Elkader (13)

Class 2A
School Record LW
1 Dike–New Hartford 8–1 1
2 Denver 9–1 3
3 Central Lyon 7–1 4
4 Panorama 9–0 5
5 Grundy Center 7–1 2
6 Treynor 9–1 11
7 Sibley–Ocheyedan 7–2 6
8 West Hancock 6–2 7
9 West Branch 6–1 9
10 Cascade 8–1 12
11 Aplington–Parkersburg 7–1 13
12 South Central Calhoun 8–1 8
13 Mediapolis 8–0 15
14 Iowa City Regina 7–2 NR
15 Jesup 6–2 NR
Dropped Out: Nodaway Valley (10), North Union (14)

Class 3A
School Record LW
1 Unity Christian 8–1 1
2 West Lyon 8–0 2
3 Ballard 9–1 3
4 Estherville–Lincoln Central 10–0 4
5 Sergeant Bluff–Luton 7–0 6
6 Center Point–Urbana 9–1 5
7 Clear Lake 5–1 7
8 Cherokee 7–2 10
9 West Liberty 6–2 8
10 Davenport Assumption 6–3 13
11 Roland–Story 6–2 11
12 Vinton–Shellsburg 7–3 12
13 West Marshall 8–1 9
14 West Burlington 7–1 NR
15 Forest City 7–1 NR
Dropped Out: Pocahontas Area (14), Hampton–Dumont–CAL (15)

Class 4A
School Record LW
1 Glenwood 7–1 1
2 Bishop Heelan 8–0 2
3 North Polk 9–1 5
4 Grinnell 7–0 6
5 Waverly–Shell Rock 7–1 7
6 Dallas Center–Grimes 6–3 8
7 Indianola 6–2 4
8 Cedar Rapids Xavier 7–2 10
9 Central DeWitt 6–2 3
10 Spencer 7–2 11
11 Pella 6–2 14
12 North Scott 6–3 9
13 Benton Community 7–2 15
14 Winterset 6–2 13
15 Bondurant–Farrar 6–2 NR
Dropped Out: Carlisle (12)

Class 5A
School Record LW
1 Johnston 10–0 1
2 Iowa City High 7–0 2
3 Waterloo West 7–1 3
4 Dowling Catholic 9–0 6
5 Iowa City West 6–1 4
6 Des Moines Roosevelt 5–2 8
7 Ankeny Centennial 6–2 5
8 Southeast Polk 5–3 7
9 Ankeny 6–2 15
10 West Des Moines Valley 7–2 12
11 Waukee Nothwest 6–3 10
12 Cedar Falls 6–2 9
13 Pleasant Valley 7–1 13
14 Cedar Rapids Washington 6–3 11
15 Sioux City East 6–3 NR
Dropped Out: Linn–Mar (14)