Iowa City — University of Iowa men’s basketball sophomore Keegan Murray has been named Big Ten Player of the Week.
Murray exploded for a career-best 35 points powering Iowa to a convincing 94-75 victory over Utah State last Saturday night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Murray is tops in the country in points per game (23.5). This is his second Player of the Week honor this season.
Iowa will host Southeastern Louisiana tonight, with tip set for 7:00 p.m.
Boys’ Prep Basketball: Burlington, Mount Pleasant Collide in Rivalry Scrap:
Old friends will collide tonight when Mount Pleasant takes on Burlington in a pivotal Southeast Conference matchup.
Mount Pleasant, led by Eric Rawson and Burlington by Caleb Akey were both former assistants under the great Paul Rundquist right here at Mount Pleasant.
Akey was the head coach for the Panthers before taking the job at Burlington last year, paving the way for Rawson to take over controls of the program.
Both teams are off to a bit of a slower start than anticipated, though the Grayhounds have played a tough schedule.
Burlington is 3-5 with losses against Iowa City High, Iowa City West, Washington and Cedar Rapids Prairie.
They’re led by potential conference player of the year candidate Amarion Davis.
Davis is scoring 15.7 points per game and his shooting better than 50% from three point land.
Mount Pleasant, now 2-4, is coming off a tough loss last week to No. 5 Washington.
The Panthers are 10-3 in the last thirteen against Burlington, with the Grayhounds snapping a six-game Mount Pleasant winning streak last year in a 61-45 win.
Tonight’s game will tip at 7:30 p.m.
You can listen on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.
Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have the call with pre-game show beginning at 7:15 p.m.
Other Southeast Conference matchups tonight:
All Southeast Conference scraps are boy-girl home-and-home’s.
Girls’ Prep Basketball: Can Mount Pleasant Stay Hot? Super Conference Schedule:
The Mount Pleasant girls’ basketball team will aim for back-to-back wins for the first time this season tonight when they battle DeDe Warner’s Burlington Grayhounds.
The Panthers are coming off their most dominant victory of the season last Friday when they beat Washington 61-32.
Andrea Lopreato scored 31 points in Friday’s win and set the school record for points in a single game with 37 last year against Burlington.
The junior is up to 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Perhaps making the biggest jump for Curt Watson’s group has been the steady play of senior guard Kenna Lamm.
Lamm is second on the team in scoring at just under 13.0 points per game. She’s connecting on 33% of her three-point shots and is primarily tasked with guarding the other teams’ best player.
Tonight, that means going “mano y mano” with Burlington guard Alexis Standard.
Standard is scoring 13.7 points per game for the Grayhounds despite their 0-6 start.
Mount Pleasant has won three straight over the Grayhounds.
Tonight’s game will tip at 7:30 p.m. in Burlington.
Elsewhere in the Super Conference tonight:
Women’s College Soccer: Wesleyan Names Robert Lynch New Coach:
Iowa Wesleyan has named Robert Lynch the new head coach of the women’s soccer program.
Lynch spent the last five seasons as the lead assistant for Clarke University and is now the 10th head coach in the program’s history.
After arriving at Clarke in the fall of 2017, Lynch contributed to the expansion of the roster, which resulted in the addition of a junior varsity program, led the strength program for the women’s team, and handled eligibility responsibilities.
Lynch will be formally introduced January 22nd at Ruble Arena during halftime of the Iowa Wesleyan men’s basketball game.
Men’s College Basketball: UNI’s Green Named MVC PoW:
UNI guard A.J. Green has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league has announced.
Green, a junior, led the Panthers in scoring in both of UNI wins last week, including 24 points in a home victory over Jackson State, and a 29-point performance on the road on Saturday at Marshall.
With his efforts, Green moved to No. 10 on UNI’s all-time scoring list with 1,354 total points.
Green and the Panthers (4-5) return to action tomorrow when they face the Liberty Flames in the first game of the 2021 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
Tip is set for 2:00 p.m.
Men’s College Basketball: Murray Earns Another B1G PoW Accolade:
University of Iowa men’s basketball sophomore Keegan Murray has been named Big Ten Player of the Week.
Murray exploded for a career-best 35 points powering Iowa to a convincing 94-75 victory over Utah State last Saturday night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Murray is tops in the country in points per game (23.5). This is his second Player of the Week honor this season.
Iowa will host Southeastern Louisiana tonight, with tip set for 7:00 p.m.
Coralville — The Board of Directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union approved Xtream Arena in Coralville as the new home of the Iowa Girls State Volleyball Tournament beginning in 2022.
Xtream Arena opened in September of 2020. The arena has a capacity of 5,100 spectators.
Xtream Arena is only the second venue the Iowa State Volleyball Tournament will call home since the sport was sanctioned by the IGHSAU in 1973.
The Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids has hosted the state tournament since 1991.
Prior to that, the tournament was hosted by various high schools across the state.
Iowa City — Mount Pleasant senior Carson Coleman earned two fall wins and two decision victories, rolling to a first place finish in the 126-pound weight class at Saturday’s Regina Invite.
Coleman, now 11-2 on the year, defeated Luke Guseman of West Branch 3-2 in the championship bout.
138-pounder Bowen Davis placed third for the Panthers, winning his third place match over West Branch’s Logan Keeler, 12-10.
Gannon McNamee placed fourth at 120 while heavyweight Frank Tousignant placed 6th.
WACO also wrestled at Regina.
The Warriors had three first place finishers.
Jonah Clark at 220, Louiden Huisenga at 145 and Larz Smith at 138.
Huisenga was particularly dominant, earning two fall wins.
He’s now 16-1 on the season.
No. 4 Notre Dame Rolls to Third at Fort Madison; Other Results
Five Nikes were crowned individual champions as the fourth-ranked Nikes steamrolled to a team third place finish at the prestigious Fort Madison Invite on Saturday.
Ottumwa was the meet champion, followed up Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
C.J. Walrath showed why he’s one of the state’s top wrestlers.
The 182-pounder won his individual bracket with six consecutive falls, including a showdown with New London’s ranked Josh Glendening in the championship.
Joining him with gold was senior Blaine Frazier, who like Walrath, earned pins in all six of his bouts.
Isaiah Fenton, Carter West and Tate O’Shea were the other victors for Notre Dame.
New London finished fifth at the HoundDome, ending with 215 team points.
Marcel Lopez, a SIU-Edwardsville recruit, earned a championship at 126.
Dominic Lopez went 6-0 at 160 picking up a fall and four techincal falls wins before escaping with a 9-5 over Notre Dame’s Sam West in the championship round.
No. 2 ranked Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union senior Lane Scorpil continued his reign of dominance this season with an easy championship at 120.
Scorpil picked up five pins and tech fall.
Mediapolis’ Quinten Aney had to take a medical forfeit due to injury.
KILJ — The WACO boys’ used a 13-2 third quarter run to help the Warriors earned a come from behind 49-41 win over Winfield-Mount Union on Saturday.
The Warriors, trailing by four at halftime, outscored the Wolves 26-14 in the second half.
The loss was Winfield-Mount Union’s first of the season.
WACO surged to 6-2.
The Warriors will get a scrap with Danville, Tuesday night.
Winfield-Mount Union will look to rebound with a date at Louisa-Muscatine, Tuesday as well.
Meanwhile in the girls’ tilt, Bradie Buffington had a game-high 17 points as the Lady Wolves put it in cruise control for a 52-25 win over WACO.
Ellah Kissell paced the Warriors with 13 points.
Winfield-Mount Union improved to 8-2.
WACO fell to 5-4.
Cedar Rapids — Dylan Hurley scored 18 points but it was not enough as Mount Mercy earned a 67-58 over Wesleyan, Saturday.
Victor Munoz had eight points and eight rebounds despite the loss.
Wesleyan dropped to 5-10.
Mount Mercy was paced by Ryan Bartley and his 14 points.
RoyShawn Webb added 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Tigers will take on Bellevue University on December 29th in Bellevue, Nebraska in their first game of the Hampton Inn Bruin Classic.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.
Ames — Iowa State running back Breece Hall has declared for the NFL Draft.
A two-time All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, rushed for 3,941 yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons.
Hall will not play in the Cyclones upcoming Cheez-It Bowl game.
He will end his junior campaign with 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Prep Wrestling: Coleman Finishes 1st at Regina Invite; Other Prep Finals:
Mount Pleasant senior Carson Coleman earned two fall wins and two decision victories, rolling to a first place finish in the 126-pound weight class at Saturday’s Regina Invite.
Coleman, now 11-2 on the year, defeated Luke Guseman of West Branch 3-2 in the championship bout.
138-pounder Bowen Davis placed third for the Panthers, winning his third place match over West Branch’s Logan Keeler, 12-10.
Gannon McNamee placed fourth at 120 while heavyweight Frank Tousignant placed 6th.
WACO also wrestled at Regina.
The Warriors had three first place finishers.
Jonah Clark at 220, Louiden Huisenga at 145 and Larz Smith at 138.
Huisenga was particularly dominant, earning two fall wins.
He’s now 16-1 on the season.
No. 4 Notre Dame Rolls to Third at Fort Madison; Other Results
Five Nikes were crowned individual champions as the fourth-ranked Nikes steamrolled to a team third place finish at the prestigious Fort Madison Invite on Saturday.
Ottumwa was the meet champion, followed up Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
C.J. Walrath showed why he’s one of the state’s top wrestlers.
The 182-pounder won his individual bracket with six consecutive falls, including a showdown with New London’s ranked Josh Glendening in the championship.
Joining him with gold was senior Blaine Frazier, who like Walrath, earned pins in all six of his bouts.
Isaiah Fenton, Carter West and Tate O’Shea were the other victors for Notre Dame.
New London finished fifth at the HoundDome, ending with 215 team points.
Marcel Lopez, a SIU-Edwardsville recruit, earned a championship at 126.
Dominic Lopez went 6-0 at 160 picking up a fall and four techincal falls wins before escaping with a 9-5 over Notre Dame’s Sam West in the championship round.
No. 2 ranked Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union senior Lane Scorpil continued his reign of dominance this season with an easy championship at 120.
Scorpil picked up five pins and tech fall.
Mediapolis’ Quinten Aney had to take a medical forfeit due to injury.
Prep Basketball: WACO Boys’ Escape with Huge Win; W-MU Girls Roll
The WACO boys’ used a 13-2 third quarter run to help the Warriors earned a come from behind 49-41 win over Winfield-Mount Union on Saturday.
The Warriors, trailing by four at halftime, outscored the Wolves 26-14 in the second half.
The loss was Winfield-Mount Union’s first of the season.
WACO surged to 6-2.
The Warriors will get a scrap with Danville, Tuesday night.
Winfield-Mount Union will look to rebound with a date at Louisa-Muscatine, Tuesday as well.
Meanwhile in the girls’ tilt, Bradie Buffington had a game-high 17 points as the Lady Wolves put it in cruise control for a 52-25 win over WACO.
Ellah Kissell paced the Warriors with 13 points.
Winfield-Mount Union improved to 8-2.
WACO fell to 5-4.
Men’s Basketball: Wesleyan Falls in Saturday Matinee to Mount Mercy:
Dylan Hurley scored 18 points but it was not enough as Mount Mercy earned a 67-58 over Wesleyan, Saturday.
Victor Munoz had eight points and eight rebounds despite the loss.
Wesleyan dropped to 5-10.
Mount Mercy was paced by Ryan Bartley and his 14 points.
RoyShawn Webb added 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Tigers will take on Bellevue University on December 29th in Bellevue, Nebraska in their first game of the Hampton Inn Bruin Classic.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.
College Football: Iowa State’s Hall Declares for NFL Draft:
Iowa State running back Breece Hall has declared for the NFL Draft.
A two-time All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, rushed for 3,941 yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons.
Hall will not play in the Cyclones upcoming Cheez-It Bowl game.
He will end his junior campaign with 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns.
