AMES, Iowa – Iowa State’s Ashley Joens added to her lengthy list of accolades on Thursday as she was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year, given to the nation’s top player.

The 2022-23 Big 12 Player of the Year, Joens is a frequenter of the national awards circuit, as within the past week she has also been named to the Wooden Award National Ballot (given to the country’s top player) and is a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award (the nation’s top small forward), a trophy she has claimed the past two seasons.

Joens leads the Big 12 and ranks 13th nationally with her 21.0 points per game. She has been in double figures in 27 of the Cyclones’ 28 games, scoring at least 20 on 16 occasions while posting 13 double-doubles. Her play has been particularly strong in the final weeks of the season, as she has been over 20 in each of the Cyclones’ past six games with four double-doubles in that run.

Joens and the Cyclones begin the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship on Friday against Baylor at 7:30 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior forward Kris Murray was named a Karl Malone Award finalist, the announcement was made Thursday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Fans can support Murray by participating in Karl Malone Fan Voting starting Friday at hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. 

Murray is joined as a finalist for the Karl Malone Award along with Arizona’s Ąžuolas Tubelis, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, Indiana’s Trace Jackson-Davis and Providence’s Bryce Hopkins.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark was named to the 2023 Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Semifinalist on Thursday. Clark was a finalist for the award in 2022.

This season, Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 860 points, 235 rebounds, 265 assists, and 45 steals. She has registered +25 points, +5 rebounds, and +5 assists in 16 games this year and 38 times in her career which is the most in NCAA women’s basketball history.

Against teams that are top 26 in the NET Rankings, Clark picks it up a notch averaging 29.6 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 7.1 rpg. Iowa leads the nation in AP Top 10 victories with five.

Most recently, she became the first player in Big Ten Tournament Championship history to record a triple-double. Clark finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists, the latter figure is also a title-game record and second-most in any BTT game. Clark was subsequently voted the tournament’s Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player by the media, becoming the third two-time recipient of the award. 

Clark is leading the nation’s best offense with 27.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 8.3 apg. She also paces the country with four triple-doubles this season. Clark accounts for 52% of Iowa’s offensive output in points and assists.

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native also was recognized as Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She was also a unanimous All-Big Ten First Teamer. 

The award’s four finalists will be announced on Tuesday, March 21. The Fan Vote to help narrow the list down to the final honoree will open Tuesday, March 21, and close Tuesday, March 28. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall final vote. The 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday, March 29 during the Women’s Final Four.

Iowa State made it three in a row over 10th ranked Baylor. The Cyclones used a 22-6 second half run to erase an eight point deficit in a 78-72 victory in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament.

That’s ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger. The Cyclones trailed 50-42 before taking control to improve to 19-12 on the season.

The Cyclones outrebounded Baylor 44-17 and had 21 offensive boards.

Gabe Kalscheur led ISU’s balanced effort with 24 points. The Cyclones had four players in double figures.

Jaren Holmes dropped in 17 points and had 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Tamin Lipsey had a big game with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals, and 5 assists. Tre King was also in double-figures with 10.

Iowa State improved to 19-12 on the season and advanced to the tournament semifinals on Friday night against either Kansas or West Virginia. That game will tipoff at 6:00 p.m.

Baylor was led by 28 points from Jalen Bridges. He knocked down 7 of 8 threes in the game. Baylor dropped to 22-10.

Class 2A Semifinals

Central Lyon 56, Pella Christian 55

Western Christian, Hull 79, Roland-Story 61

Class 3A Semifinals

Bondurant-Farrar 54, North Polk 45

Xavier, Cedar Rapids 72, Bishop Heelan, Sioux City 59

Class 4A Semifinals

Valley, W.D.M. 58, Pleasant Valley 51

Waukee Northwest 66, Waukee 46