The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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(Radio Iowa) — Some Iowans are hesitant to leave their houses and apartments for fear they’ll be exposed to coronavirus, but cooped-up couch potatoes are encouraged to get outside and get some exercise. Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says taking in some sunshine and being out in the fresh air is exactly what many of us are needing.

“This virus is spread from person to person so if you’re within the social distancing parameters, being outside is not a problem,” Wyatt says. “You can go outside and exercise and walk and ride your bike and still be very safe from transmission or receiving the virus.” While several states and metro areas elsewhere have issued “shelter in place” orders, Iowans are under no such edict.

Wyatt says Iowa has hundreds of miles of bike trails, carving through metro areas and veering into the wide countryside. Spring is here and things are starting to turn green, he says, so get out and enjoy the outdoors. “We’re hearing a lot from the bike community that they’re still out and biking, they’re just not going on group rides with their friends. They’re going alone or with their family to get some exercise,” Wyatt says. “I think daily exercise is important. We’ve even seen some of the areas that do have shelter-in-place, do recommend that you still go out and exercise. Just don’t go to places where people congregate.”

Keeping a social distance of six to ten feet is still a good idea outside, Wyatt says. If you’re on a bike trail and another cyclist is nearby, simply slow down or speed up and keep your distance. Also, since so many businesses are struggling in light of the pandemic, Wyatt reminds: shop local. “A lot of the bike retailers are still open for business,” Wyatt says. “A lot of them have scheduled appointments or pick-up and drop-off service, if that’s something you’re interested in. Give your favorite bike retailer a call in the state and see what their current operations are.”

Get some tips on keeping fit — and keeping kids active — from the Healthiest State Initiative at http://www.iowahealthieststate.com/

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced its first-team All-America team on Monday, which included University of Iowa junior Luka Garza.

Garza becomes the first Hawkeye in program history to be voted to the first team since 1957, the first year that the USBWA recognized All-Americans. Former Hawkeye Jarrod Uthoff was a second team honoree by the USBWA in 2016.

The USBWA is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (AP, National Association of Basketball Coaches, USBWA, and Sporting News). Garza was named to the first-team All-America squad by Sporting News and Associated Press in recent weeks with the NABC expected to make their announcement later this week. Garza looks to join former Hawkeyes Murray Wier (1948) and Charles Darling (1952) as consensus first team All-Americans.

Five major news outlets have already named Garza as its national player of the year: Sporting News, Basketball Times, Stadium, Bleacher Report, and ESPN. Garza is the first Iowa men’s basketball player to earn national player of the year distinction. Additionally, Garza has been named first team All-America by every major news outlet.

2020 USBWA All-America Teams

First Team
Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas, Sr.
Luka Garza, C, Iowa, Jr.
Markus Howard, G, Marquette, Sr.
Myles Powell, G, Seton Hall, Sr.
Obi Tobbin, F, Dayton, So.

Second Team
Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke, Fr.
Devon Dotson, G, Kansas, So.
Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State, Jr.
Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon, Sr.
Cassius Winston, G, Michigan State, Sr.

Third Team
Jared Butler, G, Baylor, So.
Tre Jones, G, Duke, So.
Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville, jr.
Filip Petrusev, F, Gonzaga, So.
Jalen Smith, F, Maryland, So.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton on Monday earned a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 8 Second Team. District 8 is comprised of Big 12 schools.

Haliburton was averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 22 games before a wrist injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

One of the Big 12’s top players, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin native reached double figures in 18 games, including six games with 20 or more points. He posted the Big 12’s only triple-double of the season against TCU in the conference opener, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. It was just the sixth triple-double in school history.

District 8

First Team

Devin Dotson, Kansas
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas
Jared Butler, Baylor
Jahmi’us Ramsey, Texas Tech
Oscar Tshiebwe, West Virginia

Second Team

Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
MaCio Teague, Baylor
Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma
Freddie Gillespie, Baylor
Desmond Bane, TCU

Coach of the Year: Scott Drew, Baylor

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Junior Luka Garza became just the third University of Iowa men’s basketball player, and first in nearly seven decades, to be voted first-team All-America by the Associated Press. Garza earned 63 first-team votes from the 65-person media voting panel.

The Associated Press is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (AP, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association, and Sporting News). Garza was named to the first-team All-America squad by Sporting News last week with USBWA and the NABC expected to make their announcements next week.

Garza joins Murray Wier (1948) and Charles Darling (1952) as the only Hawkeye players named to the AP All-American First Team.

Six major news outlets have already named Garza as its national player of the year: Sporting News, Basketball Times, Stadium, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and ESPN. Garza is the first Iowa men’s basketball player to earn national player of the year distinction.

The Washington, D.C., native is also a finalist for five national awards: Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and the Lute Olson Award.

Garza (740 points and 305 rebounds) is one of three Big Ten players to ever to total 740+ points and 300+ rebounds in a single-season (Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 and Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll in 1979). He ranked second nationally with 12 20-point/10-rebound performances, 20-point games (25); third in total field goals made (287) and points per 40 minutes played (29.8), fifth in scoring (23.9), 10th in 30-point games (5), 19th in double-doubles (15) and offensive rebounds per game (3.58), and 34th in rebounding (9.8). His 15 double-doubles are third most in a single-season by a Hawkeye in three decades and the most since 2002 (Reggie Evans, 18). Garza averaged 26.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 12 games against AP ranked opponents in 2019-20, including recording 11 straight 20-point performances, the longest streak by any player since UConn’s Kemba Walker in 2011.

The Big Ten and USBWA District VI Player of the Year, finished the 20-game conference schedule averaging 26.2 points per game, becoming the first player to average at least 26 points in Big Ten play since Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 (31.1 ppg). Garza scored a school-record 740 points this season, breaking the program’s 50-year old record previously set by John Johnson in 1970. He scored 20 points or more in a school-record 16 straight Big Ten games, the longest streak by any player in the Big Ten since Ohio State’s Dennis Hopson 16 in 1987.

Garza is the only Big Ten player to register seven 25-point/10-rebound performances in the same season in more than 17 years. He has produced the two highest point totals in a game by a Big Ten player this season (44 at Michigan; 38 at Indiana).

LUKA GARZA HONORS (2019-20)

•  Sporting News, Basketball Times, Stadium, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and ESPN National Player of the Year
•  Dick Vitale and Andy Katz’s National Player of the Year
•  Sporting News, AP, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Stadium, USA Today First-Team All-America
•  Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
•  USBWA District VI Player of the Year
•  Naismith Trophy Finalist
•  Wooden Award National Ballot
•  Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy Semifinalist
•  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalist
•  Lute Olson Award Top 30

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named a finalist for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS and awarded annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler.

Fan voting for the award runs from March 23-27. The winner is announced Monday, March 30.

Lee was the top-seed at the 2020 NCAA Championships, putting together an 18-0 record on his way to the 125-pound Big Ten championship. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, outscoring his 18 opponents this season 234-18. He scored bonus points in 17 of 18 wins, recorded four first-period falls and nine technical falls, and averaged 5.0 team points per match.

Only four of his 18 matches went the entire seven minutes. Lee was 5-0 in the month of January with five technical falls. He outscored those five opponents 84-1.

Lee is one of eight finalists for an award that considers seven pieces of criteria: record, number of pins, dominance, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship, and heart. The winner is determine by fan vote and the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee.

This year’s finalists include Lee, West Virginia sophomore Noah Adams (197), Northwestern junior Ryan Deakin (157), Princeton sophomore Pat Glory (125), Stanford freshman Shane Griffith (165), Iowa junior Spencer Lee (125), Ohio State senior Kollin Moore (197), Minnesota sophomore Gable Steveson (285) and Cornell senior Charles Tucker (133).

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs agreed to a one-year contract with former New York Giants cornerback Antonio Hamilton, the first deal made by the Super Bowl champions since the start of free agency earlier in the week. Kansas City entered the market desperate for help in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller, Morris Claiborne and Bashaud Breeland to free agency. Fuller and Breeland in particular were crucial to a defensive turnaround under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo that helped deliver the Chiefs their first Super Bowl title since 1970.

UNDATED (AP) — Dayton breakout star Obi Toppin is the lone unanimous first-team choice to The Associated Press men’s college basketball All-America team. Toppin is joined on the first team by Iowa’s Luka Garza, Marquette’s Markus Howard, Myles Powell of Seton Hall and Payton Pritchard of Oregon. Toppin is Dayton’s first first-team AP All-American after averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game.