Thursday March 14th Local Sports

TODAY:
AM-1300 KGLO — Minnesota Twins vs. Toronto — 12:00

AM-1300 KGLO — Iowa men’s basketball — Big Ten second round vs. Ohio State — pre-game 4:30, tipoff 5:30

 

MINNEAPOLIS — The Iowa Hawkeye men open the Big Ten Tournament tonight by taking on one of the league’s hottest teams in Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are 18-13 after closing the regular season by getting thumped at home by 13th-ranked Illinois. The Buckeyes are 19-12 and have won five of their last six since the firing of coach Chris Holtman a month ago.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery who says the Buckeyes have played well under interim coach Jake Diebler.

McCaffery says the Buckeyes responded after the firing of Holtman.

McCaffery expects both teams to push the tempo.

McCaffery talks about the changes Diebler has made since becoming the interim coach.

Tipoff in Minneapolis is scheduled for 5:30 with the pre-game at 4:30 on AM-1300 KGLO

 

 

 

 

KANSAS CITY — Iowa State guard Curtis Jones says the 7th-ranked Cyclones have focused on offense as they get ready for tonight’s quarterfinal round game at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. In the last four games ISU has averaged 61 points and only managed 58 in Saturday’s loss at Kansas State, who they will face again tonight.

Jones says everybody has a role on the offensive end.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger says there are a lot of factors that have affected the production on offense, including the grind of a tough Big 12 race.

Otzelberger says two areas of emphasis this week have been ball movement and screening.

Iowa State is 24-7 and Otzelberger likes the identity of his team heading into the postseason.

Tipoff in Kansas City is slated for 6 o’clock.

 

 

 

 

 

COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Wartburg College women’s basketball team is two wins away from a national championship. The Knights play Smith College tonight in the NCAA Division III Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. It is the third Final Four in program history.

That’s Wartburg coach Bob Amsberry who says the moment won’t be too big for his team.

Amsberry says one of their biggest strengths is the ability to succeed with different styles of play.

Senior guard Sara Faber of Clear Lake leads the team in steals averaging 1.7 per game, second on the team in scoring averaging 12 points per contest, and is third on the team in three-pointers made. New York University and Transylvania meet in the other national semifinal.

 

 

 

 

QUAD CITIES — Drake junior guard Kaire Dennebier has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Dennebier averages 18 points and seven assists for a Bulldog team that will bid for a second straight Missouri Valley Tournament title this weekend in the Quad Cities.

The Bulldogs are the top seed after winning the Valley regular season race with a 19-1 record.

Despite a 26-5 overall record the Bulldogs most likely need to win the tournament this week to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Drake opens the tournament Friday afternoon against the winner of today’s game between Southern Illinois and Indiana State.

 

 

 

OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — The NIACC softball team split a pair of games on Wednesday in Overland Park Kansas. #10/Division II Johnson County Community College topped NIACC on their home field 12-4 in five innings, with NIACC then stopping Iowa Western 11-7. Madisyn Kelley had three home runs on the day and had a career-best five runs batted in in the second game. Katy Olive also homered in the Iowa Western contest. NIACC is 9-7 on the season and will face Johnson County and Iowa Western again today in Overland Park.