1st Team
*Morgan Lucy, Glenwood, Center, Sr
*Chelsey Van Ness, Denison, Guard, Jr
Lexi Fisher, Glenwood, Forward, Sr
Delany Higgins, Lewis Central, Point Guard, Sr
Lexi Albrect, Kuemper, Guard, Jr
Kerri Potthoff, Kuemper, Guard, Sr
Gabi French, Red Oak, Guard, Sr
+Paige Flores, Lewis Central, Forward, Sr
+Kaylee Buch, Clarinda, Forward, Sr
*Unanimous
+ Won selections due to multiple ties in voting

2nd Team
Grace Neuman, Glenwood, Guard, Jr
Madi Drees, Kuemper, Center. Sr
Serena Parker, Shenandoah, Center, Fr
Liz Sieleman, Lewis Central, Forward, Sr
Aubrey Norville, Lewis Central, Forward, Jr
Josie Esser, Harlan, Center, Jr
Bailey Ellerbeck, Denison, Guard, Sr
Lexi Moreno, Glenwood, Guard, Sr

Honorable Mention
Katlin Briley, Creston, Guard, Sr
Madison Frain, Creston, Forward, Sr
Sarah Konz, Harlan, Guard, Sr
Kate Walker, Red Oak, Point Guard, Fr
Alyssa Rihnor, Denison, Point Guard, Jr
Brianna Vis, Harlan, Point Guard, Jr
Haley Lembrick, Shenandoah, Point Guard, Sr
Paige Kennon, Atlantic, Point Guard, Sr
Alex Hartwig, Atlantic, Forward, Sr
Allyson Karr, Clarinda, Center, Sr

ATLANTA, Ga. – Iowa State forward Royce White made the Naismith Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Award  mid-season 30 watch list, released today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

The Naismith Award is given annually to the nation’s top collegiate men’s basketball player.  The mid-season 30 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the 2011-12 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy, presented by AT&T, will be awarded at the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four in New Orleans.

A native of Minneapolis, Minn., White has played a key role in Iowa State’s resurgence on the nation’s college basketball scene. The sophomore is the only player in the nation to lead his team in scoring (12.8), rebounding (9.2), assists (5.1), steals (1.2) and blocks (1.0).

White is currently the only player from a power-six conference to rank in the top-100 nationally in rebounding (42nd – 9.2) and assists (57th – 5.1). The point-forward is one of 12 players in the nation to record a triple-double this season (10 pts., 18 reb., 10 asst. vs. Texas A&M) and his eight double-doubles is second in the Big 12. He’s been named Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times this season.

Iowa City West 55, Iowa City High 52

Iowa City West found its long-range shooting touch just in time to turn back its biggest rival.

The second-ranked Women of Troy hit six 3-pointers during a key five-minute stretch in the second half and held on to beat No. 7 Iowa City High 55-52 in a first-round Class 4A game.

West had defeated City High by margins of eight and 15 points during the regular season, but this one wasn’t decided until West’s Ally Disterhoft blocked City High’s final 3-point shot just before the buzzer.

Tatum Klein led West with 18 points, including three huge 3-pointers to help her team get the lead for good. Mckenzie Piper added 12 points for West, Brianna Sturtz scored 10 and Disterhoft finished with seven points, six rebounds and five blocks.

Waukee 49, Mason City 47

Amy Nestingen’s only basket of the second half was the biggest of the game for Waukee.

Nestingen drove down the right side of the lane and banked in a layup just before the buzzer to give sixth-ranked Waukee a 49-47 victory over No. 3 Mason City in a first-round Class 4A game of big momentum swings.

Waukee fell behind by nine points at halftime, rallied to take a four-point lead, then fell behind by five before making its final charge. The Warriors improved to 20-5 and will play No. 2 Iowa City West in a semifinal game at noon on Friday. Mason City, which beat Waukee 63-53 during the regular season, finished 21-3.

Ankeny 39, Cedar Rapids Xavier 25

Maddie Manning and Ankeny’s defense were too much for Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Manning scored 18 points and fourth-ranked Ankeny held Xavier to one field goal in the second quarter en route to a 39-25 victory in a first-round Class 4A game.

Ankeny took control after the two teams played to an 8-8 tie in the first quarter. The Hawkettes outscored Xavier 11-3 in the second quarter to open a 19-11 lead, then turned back the Saints’ only threat in the second half.

Xavier twice cut the lead to six, the second time at 23-17 on Emily Walvoord’s jump shot midway through the third quarter. But Manning converted a three-point play on a leaning scoop shot and Ankeny went on to score 12 straight points to regain control.

Manning, who has signed with Oklahoma, finished strong, scoring seven of her team’s final nine points.

Ankeny, in the tournament for the fourth straight year, improved to 22-2 and will play in a semifinal game at 1:45 p.m. Friday. Shayla Starkenberg and Brittany Hedrick each scored seven points for Ankeny, which outscored Xavier 18-1 at the free throw line.

Southeast Polk 56, Ames 37

Top-ranked Southeast Polk is on its way to the Class 4A semifinals and a showdown with the only team that beat the Rams this season.

Southeast Polk held unranked Ames to just two field goals in the first half and cruised to a 56-37 victory to complete the opening round of the 2012 tournament. It was the second victory over Ames this season for the Rams, who’ll take a 24-1 record against fourth-ranked Ankeny in a semifinal game at 1:45 p.m. Friday.

Ankeny beat Southeast Polk 33-29 at midseason, a loss the Rams avenged with a 55-31 victory in the regular-season finale.

Southeast Polk had good balance against Ames, getting 12 points from Whitney VanWyk, 11 from Megan Bianchi and 10 from Caitlin Ingle. Ingle also notched five assists with some alert passing, while VanWyk grabbed six rebounds and knocked down a couple of 3-pointers.

w/ Jim Field

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Iowa travels to Nebraska today for its final road game of the season tonight. The Hawkeyes can reach .500 in the Big Ten for the first time since former coach Steve Alford’s final season with wins over the Huskers and Northwestern on Saturday. Nebraska stunned Iowa in Iowa City 79-73 last month after falling behind in the first half. This will be Iowa’s first visit to Lincoln since 1976. Tip-time at the Devan Sports Center in Lincoln, NE, is 8-p.m.  You can hear the action tonight, on KJAN, beginning with the pre-game show.

Iowa State looks for its second straight road win when it faces 7th-ranked Missouri tonight. The Tigers beat Iowa State 76-69 on Jan. 10th. The Cyclones will be seeking their 12th conference win, a mark they’ve only reached twice before. Missouri has lost two straight for the first time all season. Tip-time at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, MO, is 7-p.m.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Northern Iowa ran roughshod through the Missouri Valley tournament two years ago in what proved to be a tuneup for its stunning run to the NCAA tournament’s regional semifinals. The Panthers enter this week’s league tournament knowing that it once again represents their only chance to sneak into the NCAAs. Fifth-seeded Northern Iowa (19-12, 9-9 MVC) opens tournament play against Illinois State (18-12, 9-9) on Friday. The winner of that game would likely get top-seeded and 15th-ranked Wichita State on Saturday in the semifinals. It’s all a longshot at best for Northern Iowa, which will likely miss the NCAAs for the second straight season unless it can dust off some of that old magic from years past.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder says isn’t sure whether she’d like to see the Hawkeyes play Northwestern or Nebraska in their opening game of this week’s Big Ten tournament. Iowa earned the third seed for the tournament, held from Thursday to Sunday in Indianapolis, with its current eight-game winning streak. The Hawkeyes (19-10, 11-5) will play either the Wildcats or Huskers on Friday. Bluder says they’d be confident playing Northwestern because they swept the Wildcats this season. But she says Iowa would love the opportunity to play Nebraska again after the Huskers swept the Hawkeyes.

Sioux City East 49, Council Bluffs Lewis Central 27

Ankeny 40, Des Moines Roosevelt 27

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 67, Cedar Falls 65, OT

Dubuque Senior 56, Eldridge North Scott 31

Iowa City West 68, Bettendorf 42

Marion Linn-Mar 83, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 77, 2OT

West Des Moines Valley 44, Johnston 38

Waukee 48, Des Moines Hoover 47

IKM-Manning 71, Bellevue 55

Pella Christian 66, Britt West Hancock 63

Ballard 50, Benton Community 34

Davenport Assumption 54, Glenwood 41

MOC-Floyd Valley 50, Bondurant Farrar 37

Sioux City Heelan 77, Dubuque Wahlert 60

Bishop Heelan 77, Dubuque Wahlert 60

Sioux City Bishop Heelan is a step closer to another appearance in the Class 3A state championship game.

MaKayla Augustine led another big offensive outing with 22 points and third-ranked Bishop Heelan pulled away in the second half to beat No. 6 Dubuque Wahlert 77-60 in the opening game of the 3A tournament.

Madison Yohe added 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Crusaders, who are the highest-scoring team in their class and almost reached their season scoring average of 79.3 points. Alex Fuller chipped in with 11 points.

Bishop Heelan improved to 24-1 and will play in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Crusaders won the state championship in 2008 and 2010 and finished second in 2009.

Wahlert made a nice run over the second half of the season after losing University of Iowa recruit Claire Till, who had knee surgery in January. Tessa Leytom led the Golden Eagles with 21 points, making 10 of 18 shots. Logan Lynch scored 13 points, while Beth Walker had 10 points and 16 rebounds for Wahlert, which finished 20-5.