No contest in Milwaukee as Iowa State rolled to a first round win in the NCAA Tournament. The third seeded Cyclones blew the game open late in the opening half in an 82-55 victory over Lipscomb. ISU shot a sizzling 58 percent to improve to 25-9.

That’s Cyclone coach T.J. Otzelberger who liked his team’s physical play at both ends of the court.

In his return to his home state sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic had a big game. He led Iowa State with 20 points, including 17 in the opening half.

Michigan opened the fourth quarter with a 9-1 run and went on to beat Iowa State 80-74 at the NCAA Tournament in South Bend. The Cyclones close the season with a record of 23-12.

That’s ISU coach Bill Fennelly. The Cyclones shot 50 percent for the game but 16 turnovers proved costly.

Sophomore center Audi Crooks led ISU with 28 points and added seven rebounds.

Crooks was asked the evaluate the season.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s cleared the Iowa House would mandate that Iowa’s public school districts let local private school students join the district’s sports teams if the private school isn’t offering the sport. Representative Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City, says kids should be allowed to compete in sports, whether they’re enrolled in a public or a private school.

“The impetus of this bill is not to show favoritism or to elevate non-public schools,” he said. “It’s being brought about because school districts started severing longstanding athletic agreement with non-public schools once non-public schools entered their accreditation process or after we passed ESAs.” E-S-As are state-funded Education Savings Accounts to cover private school expenses. Stone says the Clear Lake and Garner School Districts are no longer allowing students from the private Clear Lake Classical school to play sports.

“We have got to quit looking at every issue as a public versus a non-public school issue,” Stone said. “…What we’re talking about today are issues that are affecting our kids and affecting our grand-kids. My two grandsons live in the Garner School District. In my opinion, we need to push past our differences and squabbles as adults and not take those differences out on our kids.” The bill passed with the support of 63 House Republicans. The 33 Democrats in the House opposed it.

Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, says public school officials should be able to make local decisions based on serving students from families who’ve chosen to send their child to the public school. “Our schools are in survival mode. Iowa also has a teacher shortage,” she said. “We cannot assume this requirement won’t be a problem.” Matson says the bill applies to middle school as well as high school students.

“Public schools will be required to have agreements on every sport they offer to those private school students who don’t have the sport at their school, regardless of capacity,” Matson said. “…If the team is full, would new sections be required? What about finding additional spaces to practice? The cost of adding staff members? The fact that it is already difficult to find volunteers to coach?”

The mandate in the bill also applies to other extracurricular activities. If the bill becomes law, private school students would have to be allowed to join competitive groups like show choirs or marching bands if their private school doesn’t offer it.

The Iowa Hawkeye women will play the nation’s top scoring team when they play Murray State tomorrow in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma. Murray State is the Missouri Valley Conference champion and averages nearly 88 points per game. Iowa coach Jan Jensen says defense and shot selection will be keys to the game.

Murray State center Katelyn Young averages better than 22 points per game and is also a threat from three point range.

Hawkeye senior Sydney Affolter says limiting easy baskets will be crucial.

Senior guard Lucy Olsen says Murray State will provide a difficult test.

AHSTW

1. Jett Peterson, shot put (48-06.75)

CAM

7. Collin Bower – 400 meters (54.72)

7. Carson McKee 400m (54.72)

16. Carson McKee – 60m (7.44)

Exira-EHK

5. Austin Rasmussen, 3200 meters (11:09.04)

Friday, March 21 (First Round/Round of 64)

(6) Michigan vs. (11) Iowa State, 10:30 a.m. | ESPN2
(4) Kentucky vs. (13) Liberty, 11:00 a.m. | ESPN
(8) Utah vs. (9) Indiana, 12:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(3) Notre Dame vs. (14) Stephen F. Austin, 1:00 p.m. | ESPN
(5) Kansas State vs. (12) Fairfield, 1:30 p.m. | ESPNews
(4) Baylor vs. (13) Grand Canyon, 2:30 p.m. | ESPNU
(2) TCU vs. (15) FDU, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(1) South Carolina vs. (16) Tennessee Tech, 3:00 p.m. | ESPN
(7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Oregon, 4:30 p.m. | ESPNews
(4) Ohio State vs. (13) Montana State, 4:30 p.m. | ESPN2
(5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Ball State, 5:00 p.m. | ESPNU
(7) Louisville vs. (10) Nebraska, 5:00 p.m. | ESPN
(8) Richmond vs. (9) Georgia Tech, 6:30 p.m.  | ESPNews
(2) Duke vs. (15) Lehigh, 7:00 p.m. | ESPNU
(5) Tennessee vs. (12) South Florida, 7:00 p.m. | ESPN
(1) UCLA vs. (16) Southern U., 9:00 p.m. | ESPN

Thursday, March 20 (First Round/Round of 64)

(9) Creighton 89, (8) Louisville 75
(4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63
(3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66
(1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40
(1) Auburn 83, (16) Alabama State 63
(12) McNeese 69, (5) Clemson 67
(6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71
(8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68
(2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62
(10) Arkansas 79, (7) Kansas 72
(4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71
(11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57
(7) UCLA 72, (10) Utah State 47
(2) St. John’s 83, (15) Omaha 53
(5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65
(3) Texas Tech 82, (14) UNC Wilmington 72

Friday, March 21 (First Round/Round of 64)

(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Baylor, 11:15 a.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (15) Robert Morris, 11:40 a.m. | truTV
(3) Iowa State vs. (14) Lipscomb, 12:30 p.m. | TNT
(5) Memphis vs. (12) Colorado State, 1:00 p.m. | TBS
(1) Duke vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s, 1:50 p.m. | CBS
(7) Saint Mary’s vs. (10) Vanderbilt, 2:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) Ole Miss vs. (11) North Carolina, 3:05 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Grand Canyon, 3:35 p.m. | TBS
(1) Florida vs. (16) Norfolk State, 5:50 p.m. | TNT
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Troy, 6:10 p.m. | CBS
(7) Marquette vs. (10) New Mexico, 6:25 p.m. | TBS
(4) Arizona vs. (13) Akron, 6:35 p.m. | truTV
(8) UConn vs. (9) Oklahoma, 8:25 p.m. | TNT
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Xavier, 8:45 p.m. | CBS
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bryant, 9:00 p.m. | TBS
(5) Oregon vs. (12) Liberty, 9:10 p.m. | truTV

Drake is moving on at the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs had a 15 point lead trimmed to one in the second half but they made the plays down the stretch in a 67-57 win over Missouri In Wichita. It is the their first tournament win since 2021. The Bulldogs made only 12 of 24 free throws but made up for it by registering 13 steals.

That’s Drake coach Ben McCollum. The Bulldogs controlled the pace and shot 54 percent for the game while limiting Missouri to 33 percent.

In his first season as head coach McCollum has led the Bulldogs to a 31-3 record and a trip to Saturday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Bennett Stirtz led Drake with 21 points. Mitch Mascari was limited to six but he led the Bulldogs with four steals.

Missouri ends the season with a record of 22-12. Tiger coach Dennis Gates.

Gates says one of the keys was the Tigers being outscored in the paint 38-22.

Caleb Grill led Mizzou with 14 points but was just 1-of-7 from three point range as the Tigers struggled to solve the Drake defense.

The Audubon Wheelers Girls Track & Field team don’t have a single senior on the roster and will rely on the underclassmen talent to score points this year. Despite a heavy underclassman group, the Wheelers bring back a few state qualifiers including Junior Jaelynn Petersen and Sophomore Taryn Petersen. Audubon’s roster consists of six freshmen, two sophomores, and two juniors.

The Wheelers kicked off their season at the IATC Indoor Championships in Ames last week but begin their outdoor season at home on March 31st at the Audubon Girls Early Bird meet. This will be the first of two meets held at Audubon as the Wheelers will also be at home April 29th. Audubon runs roughly in a dozen meets this season and Head Coach Alaena Christensen says this has been a really fun group to lead so far.

Christensen says the state qualifiers from a season ago will be leaders on the track but hopes the freshmen can be extremely competitive as well.

Success is the name of the game for the Wheelers this season and that may have different meanings for each member of the team.

Great attitudes combined with a competitive drive can make a practice way more enjoyable for a coach Christensen says.

The Audubon Wheelers will be on their home track on Monday, March 31st for the Audubon Girls Early Bird meet.

The Riverside Bulldogs Boys Track & Field team will be extra competitive for spots this year as there are over 40 athletes on this year’s roster. Head Coach Adam Oliver believes this will create a more competitive drive for his team, because spots are far from guaranteed. The Bulldogs’ season began at the IATC Indoor Championships in Ames last week.

The Bulldogs finished second as a group with 44 points on the scoreboard. Scoring came from all over the place for Riverside but highlighted by winning the 4x400m, 4x800m, and 1600m medley relay races. Riverside scored on a sixth-place finish from Junior Brody Henderson in the 800-meter run as well.

The roster is spread out amongst the four classes, mixing experience with young talent.

Oliver says the best practices are the ones he sees the competitiveness from his team.

The schedule consists of 15 regular season meets with the luxury of hosting the state qualifying meet in the middle of May. The Bulldogs compete in a tough conference, making competition stiff.

Riverside will cross the border for the 2025 Bulldog Challenge in Seward, Nebraska today followed by a meet Monday at Buena Vista University.