AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State senior guard Bubu Palo says he might petition the NCAA for a hardship waiver that would allow him to transfer to another school and play one more season. Palo missed much of 2013-14 after being dismissed from the team following sexual assault charges that were later dropped. Palo was reinstated by a district court judge in January, but he hasn’t played this season.

Palo says he and coach Fred Hoiberg have discussed the possibility of a waiver, adding that he might sit out Saturday’s home finale against Oklahoma State to aid those efforts. Palo redshirted as a freshman in 2009-10 and was suspended for 18 games in 2012-13. He will be honored in pre-game festivities for Iowa State’s seniors on Saturday.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Egidijus Mockevicius tied a career-high with 19 points, had a career-best eight blocks and grabbed 10 rebounds as No. 9 seed Evansville defeated eighth-seeded Drake 69-61 in the opening round of the Missouri Valley tournament Thursday night. D.J. Balentine added 30 points for Evansville (14-18) which faces top-seeded Wichita State in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Jordan Daniels scored to give Drake a 21-19 lead with 8:10 to play in the first half. Evansville answered with a 14-0 run, including six points by Balentine, to take a 33-21 lead and the Purple Aces led the rest of the way. Daniels scored seven straight points and Daddy Ugbede made a layup to cap a 9-0 to pull Drake within six points, 58-52 with 8:49 remaining, but the Bulldogs did not get any closer. Richard Carter scored 26 points and Daniels finished with 11 to lead Drake (15-16).

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bethany Doolittle scored a career-high 26 points, hitting 10 of 14 shots, as fifth-seeded and 23rd-ranked Iowa defeat Illinois 81-62 in the first round of the Big 10 tournament on Thursday.

Melissa Dixon added 15 points and Ally Disterhoft 14 with 12 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (24-7), who face No. 17 Purdue (21-7), the fourth seed, in the quarterfinals Friday.

Amber Moore had 26 points for the Illini (9-21), who have lost 11 straight). Ivory Crawford had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Iowa opened the game with an 11-2 run and after Illinois regrouped to take a 27-26 lead, the Hawkeyes closed the half with a 15-2 surge for a 41-29 lead.

Iowa shot 54 percent from the field, made 21 of 26 free throw and had a 45-31 rebounding edge to offset 24 turnovers. The Illini shot just 32 percent and got to the line 14 times, making 10.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kicker Billy Cundiff has agreed to terms on a contract extension with the Browns.

Cundiff was eligible to hit the free-agent market next week, but he’ll stay with the Browns. Terms of the deal announced Thursday were not immediately available.

After Phil Dawson left for San Francisco before last season, the Browns signed Cundiff, who made 21 of 26 field-goal attempts and made 32 extra points in 16 games. Cundiff also set a franchise record with 42 touchbacks.

Cundiff made the Pro Bowl with Baltimore in 2010. He kicked in five games for the Browns in 2009 and has also played for Dallas, New Orleans and Washington. He was in training camp with the New York Jets last summer before he was waived on Aug. 28.

He has converted 76 percent of his career field-goal attempts.

The former Drake University player is a Harlan alum.