United Group Insurance

No. 3 Iowa women rally to win B1G Tournament

Sports

March 11th, 2024 by admin

A late rally and another Big Ten title for the third ranked Iowa Hawkeye women.

Rob Brooks with the call on the Hawkeye Network. Iowa outscored Nebraska 17-12 in overtime and edged ther Huskers 94-89 at the Target Center. It was a game the Hawkeyes trailed by eight with two and half minutes remaining in regulation. Iowa guard Caitlin Clark finished with 34 points and 30 of them came after halftime. She also had 12 assists.

Clark called it a gritty win.

Clark on Iowa having a good shot at a one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Clark says the Hawkeyes now turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder on the partisan Hawkeye crowd in the Target Center.

Bluder says the Hawkeyes had their hands full.

Bluder on Iowa’s chance to be a one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska head coach Amy Williams says she is proud of her team’s efforts in Minneapolis.

Williams says Iowa made some good defensive plays late in the game.

Cornhuskers guard Jaz Shelley scored 16 points and says this is an emotional one.

Iowa State Wins First Big 12 Title Since 2009

Sports

March 11th, 2024 by admin

TULSA, Okla. – Iowa State clinched its first Big 12 title since 2009 Sunday night inside the BOK Center. The Cyclones crowned two champions and finished the weekend with 152.5 team points, the fourth-most in a tournament in league history and the most ever by an ISU team in the Big 12 era.

The team title marked ISU’s 17th conference championship in program history and snapped Missouri’s two-year winning streak in the tournament. The Cyclones prevailed in a tight team race throughout the entire weekend and bested Oklahoma State’s 141.5 points.

Anthony Echemendia won his first individual Big 12 title courtesy of a 4-2 decision over UNI’s Cael Happel at 141 pounds. He is the fifth Cyclone to win a conference title at 141 pounds and the first since Ian Parker did so in 2020.

Yonger Bastida was victorious in one of the most anticipate matches of the season against Air Force’s Wyatt Henrickson. Bastida hit a crafty counter while Hendrickson was in on a leg for a six-point move which proved to be the difference in a 10-7 decision.

Bonus points were key for Iowa State throughout the tournament as the Cyclones registered six falls, six tech falls and seven major decisions for 28 extra points. The Cyclones’ bonus-point tally was the difference in the team race as the Cowboys finished with just 13 bonus points.

Head coach Kevin Dresser was named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second time in his seven-year stint at Iowa State.

Three other Cyclones were unsuccessful in their title bids.

At 133 pounds, Evan Frost was outmatched against Oklahoma State’s No. 1 Daton Fix. Frost secured a late takedown to cut his deficit to 8-5 but it wasn’t enough to dethrone the four-time defending conference champion

Cody Chittum lost a marathon match to UNI’s Ryder Downey, 5-3, in the second tiebreaker. Downey was tough on top and did not allow Chittum to escape on multiple occasions throughout the match.

In a highly anticipated national finals rematch, Missouri’s No. 1 Keegan O’Toole got the best of No. 2 David Carr once again. Carr was in on a leg several times in the match, but O’Toole’s countering ability prevailed, and the Tiger snatched an 8-2 victory.

 

Drake holds off Indiana State to win MVC Tournament

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

Drake survived a furious second half rally by Indiana State in St. Louis. The Bulldogs surrendered an 18 point second half lead then used a late 7-0 run to edge the Sycamores 84-80 and claim a second straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament crown.

That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries. With the victory the Bulldogs are 28-6 and will play in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years.

DeVries credits the players for building a consistent program.

Tucker DeVries led the Bulldogs with 27 points, including four of five from three point range.

Sophomore guard Connor Enright hit a three pointer with two minutes remaining to snap a 76-all tie and Drake led the remainder of the way.

Three Cyclones Recognized by Big 12 Coaches

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

IRVING, Texas – Three Iowa State Cyclones were named to various All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball Teams Sunday by the league coaches.

Sophomore Tamin Lipsey earned All-Big 12 First Team honors and was also named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, one of two unanimous selections on the defensive team. Junior Keshon Gilbert was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and picked up a spot on the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. Milan Momcilovic was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

Lipsey is the second Cyclone under T.J. Otzelberger to be named to the first team, joining Izaiah Brockington in 2022. He is also the fifth Cyclone in school history, and second in the last two years, to be named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. Lipsey averaged 12.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game this season. Lipsey is the only player in the country to average those numbers and just the 17th to do so since 1997. Lipsey leads the Big 12 in steals and ranks fourth in the nation. The Cyclone defense held opposing teams below its scoring average in 17 of 18 Big 12 games.

Gilbert led the Cyclones with 13.5 points per game, while also dishing out the second-most assists on the team with 4.2 per game. A starter in all 31 games, the Cyclones went 17-5 when Gilbert reached double figures, including a 6-1 mark when he hit 20 points. Gilbert was twice named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and turned in the eighth triple-double in Iowa State history with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against New Hampshire.

Momcilovic was one of four Cyclones to average double-digit points on the season at 10.9. He also averaged 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. He was one of eight true freshmen across the country to average those numbers, with just three of them coming at Power Six schools. Momcilovic connected on 49 3-pointers, tied for the third-most in school history. His 80.6 percent free throw shooting is the third-best among freshman in school history.

The Cyclones return to action Thursday night, as second-seeded Iowa State faces either seventh-seeded Texas or 10th-seeded Kansas State in the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinals at the T Mobile Center in Kansas City. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

Hawkeyes in 4th After Round 1 in New Orleans

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The University of Iowa women’s golf team concluded round one of play in the Tulane Classic Presented by Chad Brownstein on Sunday afternoon. The Hawkeyes are currently in fourth after shooting 12-over par (300).

Junior Paula Miranda is currently the low scorer for Iowa. Miranda shot 1-under par on the back nine to get to 73 (+1) for the day, which puts her in a tie for 11th place. Miranda’s par five average of 4.75 (-1) is tied for seventh in the tournament.

Sophomore Riley Lewis and sophomore Shannyn Vogler are tied for 26th on the leaderboard after carding 75s (+3). Vogler’s par three average of 2.75 (-3) is first in the tournament.

Freshman Ximena Benites, competing individually, is tied for 17th after shooting two-over par (74).

Notre Dame leads the field at three-over par

UP NEXT

Round two of the Tulane Classic continues on Monday with 18-holes being played. The final round will take place on Tuesday.

 

 

Caitlin Clark Named Wooden Award Finalist

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior guard, Caitlin Clark, was named a John R. Wooden Award Finalist on Sunday. Clark won the award last season and was a finalist in her sophomore year.
Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the 2023-24 season thus far, the list comprises of 15 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport’s most prestigious honor.
A native of West Des Moines, Iowa, Clark is once again a finalist for every major national player of the year award, most recently being named a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s top point guard (an honor she earned the last two seasons) and The Athletic National Player of the Year. Clark leads the nation in assists (8.6 assists per game) and in scoring (32 points per game) after becoming the first player to finish No. 1 in both categories in back-to-back seasons.
Clark was recently tabbed as the Big Ten Player of the Year and is the first player in program history to be named First Team All-Big Ten four times in four years of competition.
In Iowa’s win over Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, Clark surpassed Steph Curry’s NCAA men’s single season 3-pointers made record. Clark also became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in men’s and women’s basketball on March 3, 2024.

Hawkeyes Take Out No. 75 Nebraska in Lincoln

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

LINCOLN, Neb. — The University of Iowa women’s tennis team posted its first ranked victory of the season, downing No. 75 Nebraska, 4-2, on Sunday at the Dillon Tennis Center.

After dropping the doubles point, the Hawkeyes stormed back to notch their seventh victory of the season with singles wins on courts two through five.

Senior Vipasha Mehra set the standard, capturing the first win on court five, defeating Ana Zamurek in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Junior Marisa Schmidt kept the ball rolling at No. 2, earning the straight set victory against over Anfisa Danilchenko, 6-2, 6-1.

Junior Barbora Pokorna put the Hawkeyes up 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Isa Adrover Gallego, 6-2, 6-1, before sophomore Pia Kranholdt clinched the win in a marathon match, downing Maja Pietrowicz, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6, 7-6 (7-4).

The Huskers captured a win in singles competition in the No. 6 spot.

Hawkeyes Fall to Gamecocks, 6-1

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The University of Iowa baseball team dropped the rubber match of the series with Jacksonville State on Sunday, 6-1, at Rudy Abbott Field.

Marcus Morgan started on the mound for the Hawkeyes, throwing three an 1/3 innings. Morgan allowed four earned runs on three hits. Zach Voelker and Jack Whitlock relieved Morgan for the final 4 2/3 innings.

Gable Mitchell, Reese Moore and Sam Petersen collected Iowa’s three hits. The Hawkeyes were held off the scoreboard until the ninth inning, when Moore was walked with the bases loaded. Iowa would ultimately leave the bases loaded.

Gamecock pitcher Austin Cornelius earned the win, throwing eight innings and scattering the three Hawkeye hits.

UP NEXT:
Iowa (7-8) travels to Athens, Georgia, to face off against the Georgia Bulldogs (16-1) on Tuesday, March 12. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m. (CT) from Foley Field.

Long Ball Dooms ISU in Norman

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

NORMAN, Okla. – Iowa State (9-13, 0-3 Big 12) dropped Sunday’s Big 12 Opening Weekend finale to Oklahoma (22-1, 3-0), 14-1. The Sooner offense flexed its muscles, hammering five homers en route to a 13-run win.

The Cyclone bats were again held in check by the Sooners, as ISU tallied just three hits on the day with two coming from senior captain Milaysia Ochoa. Also tallying a hit was Carli Spelhaug who blasted a homer of her own, home run number four on the season.

Angelina Allen, the Big 12 hits leader, was held hitless for the second time this series and just the fourth time on the year as OU’s combo of Kierston Deal, Paytn Monticelli and SJ Geurin held the Cyclone star in check.

Four different Cyclone pitchers saw action, as Aziza Rodriguez (2-3) picked up her fifth start of the season. Lauren Schurman, Jaiden Ralston and Tatum Johnson also saw action on the day.

Ochoa, who reached safely in all three at-bats, has now gotten on base in all 22 games this season – a personal best. Ochoa also was hit by a pitch to start the game, making it the 29th time she’d been struck by an opposing pitcher. Her 29th HBP snapped a stalemate on the school record list as she now stands alone with most HBP in program history

On Deck

Iowa State will be back in action this Tuesday, March 12, when it takes on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in Tulsa. Tuesday’s game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

 

Hawkeyes Fall to LMU

Sports

March 10th, 2024 by admin

STANFORD, Calif. – The University of Iowa softball team fell to Loyola Marymount, 14-1, on Sunday afternoon.

Senior Maren Judisch got the start in the circle for Iowa. LMU took an early lead after plating two runs on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to make it, 2-0, after one inning of play.

The Lions poured on the runs in the second inning putting up a 12 spot to make it, 14-0. LMU was able to capitalize with runners on base and put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-out grand slam. The Hawkeyes used three pitchers to get through the inning.

Iowa had back-to-back singles in the top of the third from sophomore Skylinn Pogue and junior Rylie Moss. Pogue was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning.

In the top of the fifth, the Hawkeyes were able to get on the board as Moss picked up her second hit with a two-out RBI single.

Iowa finished the game with one run on four hits and had error. LMU had 14 runs on 13 hits and one error.

UP NEXT

Iowa (8-8) returns to action on Monday as they travel to Davis, Calif for a matchup with UC Davis. First pitch at La Rue Field is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).