Wednesday January 23rd Local Sports
TONIGHT:
AM-1300 KGLO, kgloam.com, KGLO mobile app — NIACC vs. Little Priest Tribal College — women 5:30, men 7:30
MASON CITY – For the second time this season, NIACC’s Mandy Willems has been selected as the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference women’s basketball player of the week for the week of Jan. 14-20.
Willems, who prepped at AGWSR, scored 78 points, including 17 3-point goals, in the No. 5 NIACC’s three games last week where the Lady Trojans went 2-1. She scored 24 points against DMACC, 26 points against No. 10 Kirkwood and 28 points against Southeastern.
Willems, who was also selected as the league’s player of the week for the week of Oct. 29-Nov. 3, also had 20 rebounds in the three games last week.
Willems, who averages 22.5 points per game, has 88 3-point goals, which leads NJCAA Division II and ranks third on NIACC’s all-time single-season list.
Both of NIACC’s basketball teams return to action Wednesday at home against Little Priest Tribal College. Game time for the women’s game in the NIACC gym is slated for 5:30 with the men’s game starting at about 7:30. You can hear both games on AM-1300 KGLO, kgloam.com and via the KGLO mobile app.
IOWA CITY — Iowa will honor former women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer on Wednesday night when the Hawkeyes host Rutgers. Stringer coached the Hawkeyes from 1983-1995 and earlier this season posted her 1000th career win. Current Hawkeye coach Lisa Bluder.
Now in her 24th season at Rutgers, Stringer has the Scarlet Knights off to a 7-0 start in Big Ten play. Iowa is 5-2 and part of a three way tie for second place.
DES MOINES — Drake will be out to win a third straight game on Wednesday night when the Bulldogs host Evansville. The Aces won the first matchup in double overtime in the Missouri Valley Conference opener. It was the game Drake lost senior Nick Norton to a knee injury.
Drake coach Darian DeVries. After starting 0-2 in the Valley the Bulldogs have won three of their last four.
Freshman guard D.J. Wilkins is playing a bigger role and is averaging just over 11 points per game.
PHOENIX (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled past the short-handed Phoenix Suns 118-91 on Tuesday night. Josh Okogie added a career-high 21 points for the Timberwolves, who beat the Suns for the second time in a row.
DES MOINES — Several schools from area conferences are ranked in the second Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association dual team rankings released on Tuesday. Looking at the top five in each class and the other schools:
=== 1A
1. Don Bosco
2. Denver
3. Lisbon
4. Lake Mills
5. West Sioux
12. Central Springs
15. West Hancock
=== 2A
1. West Delaware
2. Solon
3. New Hampton/Turkey Valley
4. Davenport Assumption
5. Union LaPorte City
7. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
9. Osage
13. Humboldt
=== 3A
1. Southeast Polk
2. Waverly-Shell Rock
3. Ankeny Centennial
4. Waukee
5. Fort Dodge
You can find the full list of rankings by clicking here. The Iowa High School Athletic Association also on Tuesday released regional duals sites for Classes 1A and 2A. The top two teams from sectional tournaments held on February 2nd will advance to the regional duals. In Class 1A, Lake Mills will be one of the sites. In Class 2A, Clarion and New Hampton will be two of the area sites.
AMES — It has been a long time since Iowa State has had the same quarterback start and finish a season. Brock Purdy hopes to change that. Purdy was inserted into the lineup as a true freshman in the second series of the fifth game at Oklahoma State and helped lead the Cyclones to an 8-5 finish.
Purdy says as he prepares for his sophomore season he will take on a bigger leadership role.