VALPARAISO, Ind. – Drake women’s basketball entered the week in a 3-way tie atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings but suffered a setback on the road on Thursday night. The Bulldogs let a 20-point second half lead slip away as the Beacons of Valparaiso stormed back to win, 66-65.

The Bulldogs trudged through a sloppy start as Valpo (13-17, 9-10) built an early lead. The Beacons led 14-5 at the first media timeout thanks to a balanced offense and a disruptive defensive effort.

Drake (20-10, 14-5) was able to chip away at the Beacons’ lead as the first period wound to a close with Courtney Becker, who had all six of her points in the opening stanza, banking one in with four seconds on the clock. Valpo led 20-15 after the first 10 minutes of action.

Katie Dinnebier scored the first five points of the second period to even the tally at 20-all as the pace continued at a noticeable tempo. Valpo answered by forcing two straight Drake turnovers on the Dogs’ next two possessions. The Beacons were able to cash in via a Leah Earnest triple and Maci Rhoades fast break bucket to regain the lead for the hosts.

The Bulldogs then proceeded to completely flip things back in their own direction with an 11-0 spurt over two minutes of game play. That run gave Drake a 31-24 lead and forced Valpo head coach Mary Evans to spend a timeout and pause the Bulldogs’ onslaught.

Freshman Peyton McCabe joined the party after the T.O. with a 3-pointer from the wing to extend Drake’s lead into double figures. The Bulldogs finished the first half on a 15-0 rally, outscoring Valparaiso 20-4 in the second quarter, and led 35-24 at the break.

Drake added to its run to start the second half with two straight bunnies from Dinnebier and Anna Miller. Valpo finally halted its cold streak with a Rhoades 3-pointer, but Abbie Aalsma answered on the other end as Drake’s lead grew to 15, and eventually 20 with roughly six minutes to go in the period.

The two teams went back-and-forth for much of the third quarter Valpo was able to regain some of its rhythm. Ava Hawthorne and Shannon Fornshell each splashed in a 3-pointer with just under two minutes left in the period to help keep Drake’s advantage intact. Rhoades hit her second three of the night later in the frame to trim the margin to 10, but a Fiona Connolly charging foul gave it right back to the Bulldogs as Drake carried a 53-43 lead into the final quarter.

Valpo hung with Drake the rest of the way, chopping the Bulldog lead to just seven after an old fashioned 3-point play by Nevaeh Jackson. After Dinnebier deuce, Rhoades struck again from deep to continue the Valpo comeback effort. Now trailing by just six, the Beacons proceeded to turn up the pressure defensively and keep the Bulldogs off the board for nearly three minutes. Dinnebier was able to sink two free throws, but the Beacons still owned the momentum.

The Bulldogs offense could not heat up as Drake again went scoreless for upwards of two minutes. Earnest connected on two freebies of her own as the margin shrank to just four points with 90 seconds on the clock. Layla Gold then put one up and in on a fast break opportunity to make it a 1-possession game with just under a minute remaining. Gold was fouled on the Beacons’ next trip and made two free throws of her own to tie the game at 64 apiece.

With the shot clock now off, Drake advanced the ball across the halfcourt stripe with a chance to take the lead. Shannon Fornshell was fouled chasing down a loose ball and split a pair of free throws and put the Bulldogs on top by one.

Evans called the Beacons’ final timeout after the make to move the ball to their end of the hardwood with 2.9 seconds on the clock. Valpo inbounded to their veteran leader Earnest who was fouled by McCabe. She hit both to give the Beacons a 66-65 lead.

Drake was able to get the ball into Dinnebier near the elbow, but her jumper missed long, and time expired. Valpo outscored Drake 23-12 in the final period on their way to a 66-65 upset victory in comeback fashion.

“Valpo really took it to us,” said Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman. “We didn’t have an answer for Leah Earnest, she got downhill all night. We had energy in spurts, did a nice job to get up going into halftime, but they took us out of what we like to do and played extremely physical. This is what the Missouri Valley Conference. Players step up and make plays everywhere, so our focus was just off and that’s on coaching. Another opportunity coming up…we have to have our group a lot more ready to go.”

Katie Dinnebier scored 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting including 3-of-9 from 3-point range and 5-of-7 from the charity stripe while collecting five steals, five rebounds, and dishing out four assists. It marked her 10th 30-plus point game of the year, the most in Division I hoops.

Courtney Becker, Abbie Aalsma, Anna Miller, Shannon Fornshell, and Ava Hawthorne all scored six points apiece for the Dogs. Becker led Drake on the glass with 12 rebounds while Miller snared eight.

Drake will finish their 2024-25 regular season schedule on Saturday with a trip to the Windy City. The Bulldogs are set for a date with UIC at 2 p.m. in Chicago.

5A

#1 Johnston – 62 vs #4 Ankeny Centennial – 41

#2 Dowling Catholic – 52 vs #2 Waukee Northwest – 47 

4A

#2 North Polk – 52 vs #6 Dallas Center-Grimes – 30

#8 Xavier – 70 vs #4 Norwalk – 60

3A

#1 Mount Vernon – 35 vs #5 Estherville Lincoln Central – 34 

#2 Wahlert Catholic – 52 vs #3 Williamsburg – 34 

Lucy Olsen scored 21 points and the Iowa Hawkeye women outscored 24th ranked Michigan State 20-9 in the second quarter in a 74-61 win at the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes are now 22-9.

That’s Iowa coach Jan Jensen. The Hawkeyes play third seed and 13th ranked Ohio State in tonight’s late game. The Buckeyes beat the Hawkeyes in overtime in Columbus in their first meeting.

A big Senior Night effort came up short as the Iowa Hawkeye men lost to eighth ranked Michigan State 91-84. The Spartans erased a seven point halftime deficit. Hawkeye senior forward Payton Sandfort.

The Spartans made 19 of 31 shots in the second half and led by as many as 17 points down the stretch.

Sandfort finished with 15 points but was just four-of-12 in his final game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa is 6-13 in the Big Ten and will need a win Sunday at Nebraska to have any chance of qualifying for the Big Ten Tournament.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger says consistency is a key if the Cyclones hope to make a deep run in March. The 10th ranked Cyclones are coming off a loss at home to 23rd ranked BYU and they close the regular season Saturday at Kansas State.

Otzelberger says consistent play begins in practice.

Otzelberger is not concerned his team is wearing down.

K-State handed the Cyclones their first home loss and Otzelberger says senior forward Coleman Hawkins is the key. After missing three games due to injury the Illinois transfer returned to the lineup in a Wednesday night win at Cincinnati.

The Cyclones are 12-7 in the Big 12 and are locked into the fifth seed at next week’s conference tournament.

The UNI men are the third seed in the Missouri Valley Tournament and play the late game Friday night in St. Louis. They will play the winner of tonight’s game between Illinois-Chicago and Valparaiso. Panther coach Ben Jacobson was asked if he likes the 8:30p.m. tip-off.

Jacobson says it is about playing well and not when a team plays.

Jacobson says this week has been about getting the Panthers ready and not a detailed scouting reports on the two teams they may play.

The UNI women will close the regular season on the road this week beginning with tonight’s game at Illinois-Chicago. The Panthers are currently six in the Missouri Valley standings with a record of 10-8. Illinois-Chicago is seventh at 9-9.

That’s UNI coach Tony Warren who expects the Flames to be motivated after the Panthers rallied from a 20-point deficit to win the first meeting in Cedar Falls.

The CAM Cougars Boys’ basketball team had a strong finish to the end of the season winning their final six regular season games and finishing 12-11. Despite on a six-game winning streak, the Cougars fell in their opening postseason game to IKM-Manning 60-53.

CAM dropped their first three games of the season followed up by the first two victories of the season. Head Coach Ian Hunt said things were not clicking early on. He also mentioned they had some things go the other way late in a few of the first few games of the season.

The Cougars were 4-4 heading into a January 9th contest at Southwest Valley and fell 68-56. That loss began a five-game losing skid for CAM, they would eventually rattle off eight wins in their last nine regular season games after the losing streak.

Senior Forward Chase Jahde and Junior Center Collin Bower both had averages in double figures. Bower set the school record for rebounds in a season, while Jahde is one of three graduating seniors.

Head Coach Ian Hunt said his team showed grit and determination in turning the season around.

Each of the three seniors left an impact on the floor and were key impacts to the Cougars’ success.

Despite losing the three seniors, there is a lot to look forward to out of their younger players.

The CAM Cougars had much to be proud of in the 2024-2025 season and look to build on the winning campaign for the future.

Ready or not the Iowa baseball team opens the Big Ten race on Friday with the first of a three game series at Rutgers. The Hawkeyes enter conference play 5-6 and coach Rick Heller says the early start to the league race is due to an expanded Big Ten. Last season the Hawkeyes played 20 games before entering league play.

The bullpen has struggled at times but Heller says so far the Hawkeyes have done a better job of limiting free bases.

Heller says the offense has been better than expected. The only trouble spot has been hitting with runners in scoring position.

The series will also included single games on Saturday and Sunday. Listen for the action on KJAN beginning at 2:30-p.m., Friday.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Letterwinners Club unveiled the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2025 today. Six former Cyclone athletes/administrator will be inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 24 in a ceremony at the Sukup End Zone Club in Ames.

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, athletes and coaches must be 10 years removed from their final season of competition at Iowa State. The 10-year waiting period can be waived if a coach or administrator ends his/her career in the Iowa State University intercollegiate athletics program.

Registration will open at a later date.

Public tickets are $50 and athletic alumni are encouraged to join us for the entire weekend with ISU Letterwinners club member benefits.

The Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1997. A total of 216 Cyclone legends have been bestowed the highest honor by the Iowa State Athletics Department via a selection committee comprised of Iowa State administrators and athletic alumni.

2025 Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Chris Bono (1994-1997) – Wrestling

• Three-time All-American (1995-1997)
• NCAA Champion at 150 pounds (1996)
• Runner-up NCAA Champion at 150 pounds (1997)
• Two-time conference champion (1996- Big Eight; 1997- Big 12)
• Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Big 12 Championship (1997)
• Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year (1997)
• Ended career with a 130-35 mark, the fifth-most wins in school history
• Helped the Cyclones finish second at the NCAA Championship (1996)
• Three-time World Team member (2001, 2002, 2005)
• Enjoyed a two-time stint as an ISU assistant coach (1998-2005; 2010)
• Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee (2018)

Erin Dethloff (2003-2006) – Women’s Gymnastics

• Seven-time All-American (2003-2006)
• First Team All-American in all-around (2006)
• Two-time Big 12 Champion on bars (2004, 2006)
• Qualified to four NCAA Championships (2003-2006)
• Earned All-Big 12 recognition nine times (2003-2006)
• Three-time NCAA Regional champion (2003, 2005, 2006)
• Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (2003)
• First Cyclone freshman to earn All-America honors (2003)
• Leader on ISU’s Big 12 Champion and NCAA Super Six team (2006)

A.J. Klein (2009-2012) – Football

• Two-time First Team All-Big 12 linebacker (2011-2012)
• Honorable Mention All-American (2012)
• Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year (2011)
• Three-time All-Big 12 pick (2010-2012)
• Fourth-most tackles in Iowa State history with 361
• NCAA record four career interception returns for a touchdown by a linebacker
• A member of three Bowl teams (2009, 2011, 2012)
• Fifth round NFL Draft pick (2013)
• Started 82 games in an 11-year NFL career (2013-2023)

Richard Larsen (1972-1975) – Men’s Gymnastics

• NCAA Champion on high bar (1975)
• Big Eight Champion on high bar (1975)
• All-American on high bar (1975)
• Performed a 9.70 in the finals to win the NCAA high bar title (1975)
• Team co-captain (1975)
• Ended career with school record on vault at 9.70
• Member of four Big Eight champion teams (1972-1975)
• Member of two NCAA Championship teams (1973, 1974)

Erica Martinez (2000-2003) – Softball

• Third Team All-American by Easton (2002)
• Three-time First Team All-Big 12 selection (2001-2003)
• Two-time NCAA All-Region pick (2001, 2002)
• Ranks in ISU’s career top 10 in batting average (.311) and strikeouts thrown (391)
• Led the team in 10 hitting/pitching categories in 2002
• Led the Big 12 in batting (.383) and tossed 175 strikeouts in 2002, both ISU season top 10 marks
• Ended career with school records in home runs (27), RBI (88) and walks (71)
• One of four All-Americans in Iowa State softball history

Gene Smith (1993-2000) – Athletics Director

• Iowa State Athletics Director (1993-2000)
• Facilitated massive facility improvement, including the Jacobson Athletics Building (1996)
• Advocated the renaming of the football stadium to Jack Trice Stadium (1997)
• Implemented the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame (1997)
• Cyclone teams won conference titles in six different sports and one NCAA title (1994 men’s cross country)
• Hired Dan McCarney, who led ISU to its first bowl win and five bowl games in a six-year period
• Hired Tim Floyd, who led ISU men’s hoops to the 1996 Big Eight Tournament title and 1997 Sweet Sixteen
• Hired Larry Eustachy, who led ISU to back-to-back Big 12 regular-season men’s hoops titles (2000, 2001)
• Hired Bill Fennelly, who resurrected ISU women’s hoops with 22 NCAA Tournament appearances
• In his final season as AD, ISU claimed five Big 12 titles in the month of March (2000)
• Two-time Sports Business Journal A.D. of the Year (2010, 2016)
• Inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (2024)
• Earned the Gerald R. Ford Award by the NCAA (2025)