The ninth ranked Iowa State women take a share of the Big 12 lead on the road to third place Kansas tonight (Wednesday night). The Cyclones are tied with Baylor at 11-3. The Jayhawks are 10-4.

That’s ISU coach Bill Fennelly who says with only four games remaining they are all big.

Kansas has not lost since a 77-62 setback to the Cyclones in Ames nearly a month ago.

Drake visits Valparaiso tonight (Wednesday night), in Missouri Valley action. The Bulldogs are 11-5 and one of five teams that are still mathematically alive for the Valley regular season crown.

That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries who says next week’s conference tournament in St. Louis will be wide open.

Drake is 20-9 and it marks the first time in program history the Bulldogs have posted four straight 20-win seasons.

Northern Iowa looks to maintain at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference lead tonight (Wednesday night), with a visit to Indiana State. The Panthers erased a 17-point second half deficit in the first meeting to edge the Sycamores in overtime.

That’s UNI coach Ben Jacobson who says the Panthers need a big effort on defense.

UNI is tied with Loyola at 12-4. If both win Wednesday night they will meet for the Valley title on Saturday in Cedar Falls.

(Radio Iowa) – Ranked for the first time this season number-25 Iowa hosts Michigan State tonight (Tuesday night). Iowa is 8-7 in the Big Ten while the Spartans have dropped out of title contention with two straight losses. They are 9-6 in the league race.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. The Hawkeyes have climbed above 500 in the Big Ten by winning four of their last five games. McCaffery says Iowa’s depth has been a big factor.

McCaffery has been impressed with the way his team has been consistent emotionally.

Sophomore forward Kris Murray on the Hawkeyes being ranked for the first time.

Murray says coming off a couple of losses the Spartans will be motivated.

(Radio Iowa) – Luka Garza will return to Iowa City tonight (Tuesday night), to have his jersey retired at halftime of the 25th ranked Hawkeyes game against Michigan State. The two-time All American was the National Player of the Year last season and athletic director Gary Barta says they are pleased to have fans back for the ceremony.

It is the second time in the past couple of years the school has honored a national player of the year. Former women’s standout Megan Gustafson won the award in 2019.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says it is an appropriate honor for Garza.

(Radio Iowa) – Fifty-five Republicans in the Iowa House have passed a bill that forbids trans athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports at all public and private schools and colleges in Iowa. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Orange City says transgender athletes who identify as female have an unfair competitive advantage in girls sports.

“Even if it’s one case, even if it’s a middle school bench slot, even if it’s a C team position in volleyball — I don’t care what it is,” Wheeler says. “You’re displacing a biological girl in her own division and in her own sport.” One Republican and all the Democrats present in the House last (Monday) night voted against the bill. Representative Ras Smith, a Democrat from Waterloo, was one of four members of the House Black Caucus to speak against it.

“I know how it feels to be targeted,” Smith says. “I can empathize with being sought out to being discriminated against and I’ll be damned if I’ll participate in doing that to somebody else and making them feel that way.” Representative Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Fairfield, says he objects to all school policies that encourage or condone transgender students. “I don’t believe the state of Iowa should provide liability protections to any educational institution that affirms mental illness,” Shipley says.

House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights responded. “Kids who are transgender do not have a mental illness,” Konfrst says. “Kids who are transgender are kids.” Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, says the bill is mean spirited.  “Trans Iowans are Iowans. Transwomen are women,” Wessel-Kroeschell says. “Trans Iowans just want to be included and they wants to be treated fairly.” Representative Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City, is one of the bill’s sponsors. He says critics are forgetting one side of the equation.

“Our daughters and granddaughters deserve to be given a chance to compete,” Stone says, “but more importantly they deserve to compete on a level playing field.” The Iowa Senate may debate the bill this week. Governor Kim Reynolds asked lawmakers to pass this kind of legislation nine months ago.

The only Republican present to vote against the bill was Rep. Michael Bergen of Dorchester. All Democrats present voted no. Here’s the list of absent lawmakers who did not vote on the bill: Fry, Jacobsen, Klein, Maxwell, Prichard and Sunde.

Trips to State are on the line for girls Class 4A and 5A teams on Tuesday night. Here are the area contests.

CLASS 4A

Region 7: ADM @ Dallas Center-Grimes 7:00 p.m.
Region 8: Winterset @ Glenwood 7:00 p.m. PPD to Wednesday

District Finals are on the slate tonight for Class 1A and 2A boys basketball. Here’s a look at the area schedule.

CLASS 1A

District 13 @ Ballard: Grand View Christian vs. Madrid 7:00 p.m.
District 14 @ Clarinda: East Mills vs. St. Albert 7:00 p.m.
District 15 @ Harlan: AHSTW vs. Exira-EHK 7:00 p.m.
District 16 @ Denison: West Harrison vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard 7:00 p.m.

CLASS 2A

District 15 @ (Moved to West Central Valley, Stuart): Van Meter vs. Panorama 7:00 p.m.
District 16 @ CB Thomas Jefferson: Treynor vs. Red Oak 7:00 p.m.

The Bishop Heelan Crusaders pulled away in the fourth quarter and beat Atlantic 72-47 on Monday night in a Class 3A Substate 8 Quarterfinal.

The Trojans played catch up most of the night and had made a nice run at the end of the third quarter to cut a 15-point deficit back down to 9. The Crusaders didn’t let the Trojans carry any of that momentum into the fourth quarter though and ripped off the first 10 points of the period to seal control.

Atlantic Head Coach Derek Hall gave credit to Heelan for seizing control of that moment in the game.

The Crusaders were able to get some good penetration off the dribble all night and were great in the transition game. Matt Noll led Heelan with 22 points and Nick Miller added 20. Bishop Heelan advances to the Substate Semifinals and will host Carroll on Thursday night.

Atlantic was led by 13 points from Carter Pellett and 10 from Colton Rasmussen. Atlantic sees their season end with a record of 8-14. Coach Hall was disappointed they couldn’t get it done for their six seniors.

We’ll have more of Coach Hall’s postgame comments on our Saturday Morning Coaches show at 8:30 a.m. this weekend.

CLASS 3A Substate Quarterfinals

Substate 8
Harlan 74, Perry 29 (H: Bradley Curren 22pts)
Denison-Schleswig 48, Lewis Central 36 (@ Harlan) (D: Carson Seuntjens 13pts)
Bishop Heelan 72, Atlantic 47 – ON KJAN
Carroll 69, Glenwood 57 (C: Nick Macke 21pts)

Substate 7
Winterset 83, Knoxville 37
North Polk 63, Clarke 26 (@ Winterset)
Pella 74, Carlisle 53
Bondurant-Farrar 75, Creston 32

CLASS 4A Substate Quarterfinals

Substate 1
Sioux City West 64, Sioux City North 55
Waukee 78, CB Thomas Jefferson 57

Substate 8
Norwalk 59, DM Roosevelt 52
Dowling Catholic 78, Des Moines North 42 (Dowling advances to face CB Abraham Lincoln)