HOPEWELL, N.J. – Drake’s Katie Dinnebier was named one of five finalists for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, Her Hoop Stats announced today. Dinnebier’s inclusion marks the second straight year that she has been named a finalist for this esteemed honor.

Dinnebier has had a remarkable season for the Bulldogs averaging 22.2 points, 7.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 steals. She ranks ninth in the country in scoring and leads the nation in distributions per game. Her combination of volume scoring and frequent facilitating for her teammates puts her in rare air. Since 2009-10, only one other player has averaged at least 20 points and 7.5 assists per game: Caitlin Clark, who did so three times. Add in Dinnebier’s steals, and she is the only player to average at least 22 points, 7.5 assists and two steals per game since assists became officially tracked in 1985-86.

The Waukee graduate has scored 30-plus points on nine separate occasions, which is also tops in the country, including a pair of 40-point outings. Her eight MVC Player of the Week nods are by far the most by any individual in the league this season.

2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Finalists

The finalists represent five teams and four conferences, featuring three first-time finalists. Ejim earns her third finalist nod, becoming the first three-time finalist in the award’s six-year history. She won the Mid-Major Player of the Year title last season. Harmoni Turner becomes the fourth different Ivy League player to be named a finalist, surpassing the Summit League and WCC for the most in the award’s history.

To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, players from Oregon State and Washington State are ineligible this year as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves.

The 25-player preseason watch list was announced in October, and 15 midseason watch list members were announced in January. The 10 semifinalists were announced in February, with the winner scheduled to be announced on April 2. The list is fluid, and players may play their way on or off it over the course of the season.

2A

#2 Regina Catholic – 53 vs #7 Maquoketa Valley – 47 

#3 Hinton – 53 vs #6 Rock Valley – 47

1A

#1 St. Albert – 42 vs #8 Dunkerton – 31

#2 North Linn – 33 vs Gladbrook-Reinbeck – 29

#3 Newell-Fonda – 60 vs #6 Springville – 32

#4 Bishop Garrigan – 69 vs #5 Montezuma – 31 

The Griswold Girls basketball team finished their 2024-2025 season at 6-16, but the Tigers took steps in the right direction and bought in an entirely new system of basketball. Competitiveness and the urge to get better each and everyday were a few of the key component in this team’s success.

Griswold’s six wins were highlighted by back-to-back wins in December and then again in late January. The Tigers opened up the year 2-1 with wins at Southwest Valley and home against Heartland Christian. Right after the new year, Griswold grabbed two more victories in a reschedule contest at Essex and a home victory versus Bedford four nights later. The Tigers went on the road to defeat Hamburg, followed by home victory vs. Essex later in the month of January.

Head Coach Aaron Houser really appreciated the team’s effort throughout the course of the season.

The Tigers lose five Seniors, including Abby Gohlinghorst who was a four-year starter for the Tigers.

Despite the five graduating, there is a core return group for Griswold.

The Griswold Tigers are eager to build off the success the improvements they have built this past season and are ready to get after in the 2025-2026 campaign.

The Iowa Hawkeye women raced out to a 25-9 lead at the end of one and cruised to an 81-54 win over Wisconsin at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Iowa made 11 of 15 shots in the first quarter and improved to 21-9 on the season.

That’s Iowa coach Jan Jensen. Lucy Olsen led the Hawkeyes with 19 points. Sydney Affolter added nine points and seven rebounds and the Hawkeyes shot better than 57 percent for the game.

The Hawkeyes play sixth seeded Michigan State in the late game tonight. The Spartans beat the Hawkeyes 68-66 in their only meeting back in mid-December and Jensen says the Hawkeyes will need to deal with pressure defense.

Iowa State Tournament Quarterfinals

Class 2A: Regina Catholic – 53 vs. Maquoketa Valley – 47 

Class 2A: Hinton – 53 vs. Rock Valley – 47

Class 1A: St. Albert – 42 vs. Dunkerton – 31

Class 1A: Bishop Garrigan – 69 vs. Montezuma – 31

Class 1A: North Linn – 33 vs. Gladbrook-Reinbeck – 29

Class 1A: Newell-Fonda – 60 vs. Springville – 32 

The Iowa State women open the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City Thursday night. The Cyclones are the seventh seed and play the winner of tonight’s game between Arizona State and Cincinnati. Cyclone coach Bill Fennelly says many times a deep tournament run is about getting the right match-ups.

Fennelly believes the Cyclones are one of several teams who could win the tournament.

The Cyclones are 21-10.

It has not been the senior season Iowa forward Payton Sandfort was hoping for. After dabbling in the NBA Draft Sandfort returned for his final year and is averaging just over 16 points for a team that has battled injury and inconsistency in posting a 6-12 Big Ten record. They are in danger of missing the conference tournament and close the home season Thursday night against eighth ranked Michigan State. Sandfort has battled through ankle and shoulder injuries this season.

Sandfort says social media has been brutal this season and he has leaned on his family, coaches and teammates for support.

Sandfort would like to cap his home career with a big win.

The Spartans lead the Big Ten with a 15-3 record and have a one game lead over Michigan in the standings.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says the Spartans are a balanced team.

Drake junior guard Bennett Stirtz has been named the winner of the Larry Bird Trophy as the Missouri Valley Conference Player-of-the-Year. Stirtz is only the third player to lead the league in scoring, assists and steals in helping guide the Bulldogs to their first regular season title since 2019.

That’s Drake coach Ben McCollum who says his humility is what makes him the team leader.

It is the third straight year a Drake player has won the award. Tucker DeVries claimed the honor in 2023 and 2024. The Bulldogs are 27-3 overall and open the Valley Tournament in St. Louis Friday afternoon against the winner of Thursday’s game between Southern Illinois and Indiana State. McCollum was named the Valley Coach-of-the Year.

AMES, Iowa – No. 10 Iowa State (22-8, 12-7 Big 12) dropped a heartbreaker Tuesday evening, seeing its 21-point second-half rally fall short against No. 23 BYU (22-8, 13-6 Big 12) in double overtime. The Cyclones, who were celebrating Senior Night in the home finale, fell to the Cougars, 8-85.

Tuesday night’s game featured the first overtime game in the confines of Hilton Coliseum since 2022, and the first double overtime game in the building since 2010. The loss for Iowa State marks just its second of the season with a fully healthy roster

The game started slow for both teams, as no one was able to take the lid off the basket. The two teams started 0-10 and were scoreless for the first four minutes of action. BYU was held scoreless until the 13:30 mark of the first half.

Five Cyclones finished in double figures on the night, with Joshua Jefferson leading the way with 19 points, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Milan Momcilovic poured in 18 points with four made triples, while Curtis Jones chipped in 16. Tamin Lipsey finished with 15 points, along with a game-high eight assists and three steals. Keshon Gilbert rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points and also recorded eight steals – tying the school’s single-game record.

For the Cougars, junior Richie Saunders led all scorers with 23 points, going a perfect 13-13 from the charity stripe. Fellow BYU guard Dallin Hall was right behind him with 22 points, knocking down a quartet of triples. Big man Keba Keita was a force in the paint this evening, finishing with a game-high 15 rebounds and three blocks.

Iowa State forced 29 Cougar turnovers, which helped power the 21-point comeback. BYU was able to keep the Cyclones away with timely rebounds, though, handling ISU on the glass with a staggering rebound margin of 52-24.

How it Happened

It took a while for each side to get settled early on, as both teams struggled to see the ball go in the hoop. ISU started 0-7, while BYU started 0-3 with five turnovers. Eventually, the Cyclones broke the seal at the 15:18 mark with a Jones jumper in the lane.

The Cyclones would grab an early 5-0 lead before the Cougars would notch their first basket, a Hall 3-pointer, at the 13:35 mark. ISU would build up its largest lead of the game in the first half, a nine-point advantage, with 10:03 remaining as it led 14-5.

ISU would go on to get outscored 28-10 in the final ten minutes of the first stanza, as the Cougars raced back with a vengeance. After settling down and not turning the ball over so frequently, BYU hit open threes and converted its touches in the paint to take a 33-24 lead into the break.

Iowa State saw its nine-point halftime deficit more than double in the second half, as BYU continued to pour it on with its first half momentum taking a 54-33 lead at the 13:16 mark.

From that point, Iowa State slowly began to chip away. First it was cutting the lead to 13 at the 10:49 mark. Then it was eventually getting the deficit to single digits, eight, at the 8:19 mark. After trimming the lead to as low as six, a quick 5-0 spurt from the Cougars pushed the advantage back to 11, leading 61-50, with 6:13 remaining.

The Cyclones ratcheted things up on defense, continuing to apply pressure as the intensity helped fuel the offense which would go on an 8-0 run to cut the lead down to three.

Iowa State would get the lead down to one with 1:20 remaining, but a BYU tip-in offensive board reestablished a three-point lead with under a minute to go. Milan Momcilovic canned a monster triple for the Cyclones to tie the game up with 44 seconds left, giving ISU new life for the first time since midway through the first half.

The two teams would trade clutch free throws at the end of regulation, with Saunders burying a pair to put the Cougars up two with 17 seconds left before Jefferson answered with two big freebies of his own with nine seconds left. Saunders would get the ensuing inbound and miss a fadeaway jumper as the game went to OT with the teams tied at 68.

BYU raced out to a quick 4-0 lead in the extra stanza, but a triple from Momcilovic and a fastbreak Lipsey lay-in would give ISU the edge back at 72-71. The two sides would trade baskets throughout the remainder of the overtime, with ISU having a chance to win down the stretch. With the score tied at 79 points with 16 seconds remaining, a Cyclone turnover thwarted a drawn up play, and the teams would head for a second extra period.

Both teams had left it all on the court, as each side was exhausting whatever they had left in the second overtime. The Cougars held a four-point edge with two minutes to go, but a Jefferson layup with 1:51 left trimmed it to two. The two teams would combine to miss the next three field goals, and eventually ISU got the ball with 24 seconds left, down two, with a chance to win.

BYU’s defense held the Cyclones to a poor shot, as Momcilovic’s jumper went wide and forced a shot clock violation. The Cougars would knock down one free throw to extend its lead to three as it went on to win 88-85 and secure the four seed in the Big 12 conference tournament.

Key Performer

Tamin Lipsey did it all for the Cyclones this evening. The junior, who already leads the school in career steals, went over 1,00 career points to become just the 35^th Cyclone to ever do so. Lipsey was also an efficient point guard, recording zero turnovers with his eight assists.

Notes

• Curtis Jones buried a pair of triples this evening, moving into a tie for 18th-most 3-pointers in a single season in ISU history (71).
• Joshua Jefferson moves into a tie for the 17th most steals in a single season on program history (62).
• Tamin Lipsey became the 35^th player in school history to eclipse 1,000 career points in a Cyclone uniform, pouring in 15.
  • Lipsey swiped three balls this evening, moving into a tie for 13th-most steals in school history (63).
  • Lipsey started his 99^th career game, tied with Assistant Coach Diante Garrett (2008-11) for the 14^th-most in program history.
• Milan Momcilovic moved into a tie with Gabe Kalscheur for the 19^th-most 3-pointers in a Cyclone career (113).
• Keshon Gilbert had eight steals tonight, tying the school record. Teammates Tamin Lipsey and Joshua Jefferson also have a school-best eight steals.
  • He moved into a tie for 18th-most steals in a career.
• Iowa State forced 29 turnovers this evening, with 18 resulting in Cyclone steals.
  • BYU’s 29 turnovers were tied for the sixth-most ever in school history.
  • ISU’s 18 steals pushed the season total to 286 … the ninth-most in a single season in school annals.

Up Next

Iowa State will wrap up the regular season this Saturday, March 8, at Kansas State. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on CBS and is set to tip off at 12:30 p.m.