Franz Wagner led a balanced scoring effort for No. 4 Michigan with 18 points, and the Wolverines opened Big Ten play with a 103-91 victory over Iowa. Michigan overcame 44 points by Iowa’s Luka Garza and rebounded from its 58-43 loss to top-ranked Louisville on Tuesday night. In fact, Michigan exceeded its point total from Tuesday before halftime.

Garza scored 27 points in the first half, including 15 of Iowa’s first 17, but it was the defensive end that prevented the Hawkeyes from winning this one. Garza scored the most points by an opposing player at Michigan’s Crisler Center.

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

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Last season New England needed a last-second field goal to slip by Kansas City during the regular season and overtime to do it again in the AFC championship game. Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs get another chance this week against a Patriots team that’s struggling on offense but has one of the NFL’s top defenses. Playoff implications are at stake for both teams. New England can extend its NFL record to 11 consecutive playoff berths with a win. Kansas City can clinch the AFC West title with a win and Oakland loss.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs and the Patriots are plenty familiar with each other heading into their Sunday showdown in Foxborough. The two teams that once met just 11 times over a 30-year stretch will be playing for the sixth time in the last five years. That includes a pair of playoff games, both won by New England, including last season’s overtime victory over the Chiefs in the AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. This year’s game could be another playoff with both teams in the running for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals manager Mike Matheny has announced his first coaching staff in Kansas City and most of the names are familiar. Hitting coach Terry Bradshaw and pitching coach Cal Eldred will return from Ned Yost’s staff in the same roles. Pedro Grifol will move from working with catchers to bench coach, Rusty Kuntz will move back to first base and Vance Wilson will shift to third base. Larry Carter is joining the big league club after working with Royals minor league players, and John Mabry and Rafael Belliard are the newcomers to the organization.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — After losing multiple contributors from its NCAA Tournament team, Iowa knew it would have to lean on junior center Luka Garza this season. He has responded with an All America-type start to the season. The 6-foot-11 Garza enters his Big Ten opener at fourth-ranked Michigan as the only Power Five player in the country averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Garza is also shooting 56.8 percent from the floor and 50 percent on 3s. He leads the Hawkeyes in 10 different statistical categories.

(cyclones.com) TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Iowa State (6-1) scored a 75-66 road win in the Big 12/SEC Challenge over Alabama (5-3) on Thursday night at Coleman Coliseum.

How It Happened
The Cyclones knocked down 3-pointers on three consecutive trips down the court to close out the first quarter with a flurry after the Crimson Tide had opened up an early 16-9 lead. Adriana Camber sparked the ISU run with a triple with just 1:08 remaining in the opening stanza, and Kristin Scott and Rae Johnson followed suit to knot the game at 18-18 after 10 minutes of play.

A slow start to the second quarter saw the Cyclone fall behind again, as Iowa State netted just two field goals in the first 5:45 of the period. However, a Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw triple with 4:13 to play in the half tied the game, and sparked a 12-0 ISU run, with baskets coming from five different Cyclones during the stretch. Iowa State would go into the halftime locker room holding a 34-27 lead.

The Iowa State momentum carried into the third quarter, as the Cyclones stretched their lead to double digits behind a strong offensive period. The Cyclones knocked down 9-of-17 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free throw line in the third, led by seven points from Scott. Ashley Joens, who chipped in six of her 14 points in the third period, connected on a layup to beat the buzzer, putting Iowa State ahead 58-43 with 10 minutes to play.

The Crimson Tide refused to go away, cutting the Iowa State lead to 68-63 with 2:42 to play, but Ines Nezerwa knocked down a jumper, followed by a pair of Joens free throws to ice the game late.

Players of Note
Kristin Scott was outstanding on Thursday night for the Cyclones, scoring a team-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, knocking down three treys. Scott also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, and added three assists and two steals.

Rae Johnson chipped in 15 points and was key to getting the Cyclone offense humming. The junior dished out a team-high eight assists on the evening in 35 minutes of action.

Up Next
Iowa State returns home to take on Iowa in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 11 at Hilton Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised by FS1.

(bearcatsports.com) JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri – Northwest Missouri State junior Ryan Hawkins scored 43 points and carried the No. 1-ranked Bearcats to an 87-53 road win over the Lincoln Blue Tigers at Jason Gym.

Northwest moved to 8-0 on the season, 1-0 in MIAA play, and extended its win streak to 46 in a row. Lincoln fell to 2-5 overall and 0-1 in MIAA play.

Hawkins tied for the second-most points scored ever by a Bearcat with his 43-point performance. Hawkins went 14-of-19 from the field and was 11-of-12 at the free throw line. Hawkins sank 4-of-7 from three-point range. He also added a team-best three steals. Hawkins scored 26 first-half points and built the Bearcats a 42-25 lead at the break at Lincoln.

The Bearcats shot 54.3 percent from the floor and buried 28-of-31 at the free throw line. Lincoln was held to 39.3 percent from the field and made only 5-of-8 free throws.

Diego Bernard was the only other Bearcat to reach double-figure scoring with 17 points. Bernard led all players with nine rebounds.

Northwest will travel to Warrensburg, Missouri, to take on the Central Missouri Mules on Saturday. Tip is set for 3 p.m. following the women’s game.

Quad @ Atlantic
Atlantic/CAM 78, Griswold 6
Atlantic/CAM 72, Audubon 6
Atlantic/CAM 70, Clarinda 6
Clarinda 48, Audubon 18
Clarinda 45, Griswold 12
Audubon 30, Griswold 18

Triangular @ Bishop Heelan
LeMars 60, CB Abraham Lincoln 15
LeMars 47, Bishop Heelan 21
Bishop Heelan 39, CB Abraham Lincoln 29

Dual @ Carroll
Winterset 54, Carroll 28

Triangular @ Central Decatur
Bedford/Lenox 60, Central Decatur 18
Bedford/Lenox 48, Wayne 26
Wayne 36, Central Decatur 32

@ Clarke
Clarke/Murray 42, East Mills 33
Clarke/Murray 66, Shenandoah 12
Clarke/Murray 54, SW Valley 30
East Mills 40, Mount Ayr 27
East Mills 54, SW Valley 24
East Mills 48, Shenandoah 28
Mount Ayr 48, SW Valley 30
Mount Ayr 45, Shenandoah 24
SW Valley 31, Shenandoah 30 (on criteria)

Quad @ Kuemper Catholic
Gilbert 59, Roland-Story 15
Gilbert 42, Perry 40
Gilbert 48, Kuemper Catholic 30
Kuemper Catholic 58, Roland-Story 18
Kuemper Catholic 39, Perry 36
Perry 45, Roland-Story 30

Triangular @ Logan-Magnolia
Logan-Magnolia 47, AHSTW 33
Logan-Magnolia 77, Woodbine 6
AHSTW 60, Woodbine 16

Quad @ Martensdale-St. Marys
Martensdale-St. Marys 42, Pleasantville 36
Martensdale-St. Marys 48, Moravia 21
Martensdale-St. Marys 51, SE Warren/Melcher-Dallas 30
Pleasantville 51, Moravia 23
Pleasantville 43, SE Warren/Melcher-Dallas 42
SE Warren/Melcher-Dallas 36, Moravia 24

Quad @ Missouri Valley
Missouri Valley 66, Denison-Schleswig 16
Missouri Valley 54, Tri-Center 24
Missouri Valley 78, West Harrison 6
Tri-Center 66, West Harrison 6
Tri-Center 42, Denison-Schleswig 33
Denison-Schleswig 72, West Harrison 6

Quad @ Nodaway Valley
ACGC 55, Nodaway Valley 12
ACGC 46, East Union 36
ACGC 48, West Central Valley 36
Nodaway Valley 37, East Union 27
Nodaway Valley 42, West Central Valley 38
West Central Valley 42, East Union 33

Triangular @ Sioux City East
Sergeant Bluff-Luton 72, Thomas Jefferson 12
Sergeant Bluff-Luton 60, SC East 12
SC East 51, Thomas Jefferson 30

Triangular @ Underwood
Underwood 49, Glenwood 25
Underwood 45, Riverside 33
Riverside 42, Glenwood 37

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Bedford 47, Murray 32
Denison-Schleswig 68, Storm Lake 34
Earlham 44, Coon Rapids-Bayard 37
Johnson-Brock 46, Sidney 38
Martensdale-St. Marys 46, Woodward-Granger 40
Stanton 70, Riverside 20 (ON KJAN, Stanton with 5 players in double figures, led by Marleigh Johnson with 15.)
West Monona 71, West Harrison 15

BOYS BASKETBALL

Denison-Schleswig 80, Storm Lake 47
Glidden-Ralston 61, West Central Valley 36
Harlan 73, Blair (NE) 46
Stanton 66, Riverside 34 (ON KJAN, Tyler Peterson leads 4 double-figure scorers for Stanton with 16.)

Class 1A
1 Montezuma 3-0
2 Newell-Fonda 1-0
3 Sigourney 1-0
4 Marquette Catholic 3-0
5 North Mahaska 0-2
6 Kingsley-Pierson 2-0
7 Clarksville 1-0
8 Algona Bishop Garrigan 2-0
9 East Buchanan 3-1
10 Lynnville-Sully 2-0
11 MMCRU 1-0
12 Springville 2-0
13 Saint Ansgar 1-0
14 Burlington Notre Dame 1-0
15 Exira-EHK 1-1

Class 2A
1 Cascade 2-0
2 North Linn 3-0
3 West Hancock 2-0
4 Osage 1-0
5 Aplington-Parkersburg 1-0
6 Van Buren County 2-1
7 West Sioux 1-0 1
8 West Branch 1-1
9 MFL-Mar-Mac 1-2
10 Mount Ayr 1-1 
11 AHSTW 3-0
12 Mediapolis 2-0
13 Maquoketa Valley 2-0
14 Logan-Magnolia 3-0 
15 Emmetsburg 0-1

Class 3A
1 Bishop Heelan 0-1
2 North Polk 1-2
3 Dike-New Hartford 1-0
4 Clear Lake 2-0
5 Red Oak 2-0 
6 Roland-Story 2-0
7 Crestwood 2-1
8 Okoboji 2-0
9 Unity Christian 0-0
10 Monticello 2-0
11 Davenport Assumption 2-1
12 Spirit Lake 2-0
13 Estherville-Lincoln Central 2-1
14 Algona 0-1
15 Waukon 2-0

Class 4A
1 North Scott 3-0
2 Marion 2-0
3 Center Point-Urbana 1-0
4 Glenwood 2-0 
5 Gilbert 3-1
6 Ballard 1-1
7 Dallas Center-Grimes 3-0
8 Mason City 4-0
9 Lewis Central 2-0 
10 Cedar Rapids Xavier 0-2
11 Central DeWitt 2-0
12 Maquoketa 3-0
13 Waverly-Shell Rock 0-1
14 Bondurant-Farrar 2-0
15 Carlisle 1-1

Class 5A
1 Iowa City High 0-0
2 Dowling Catholic 2-0
3 Cedar Falls 2-0
4 Johnston 2-1
5 Southeast Polk 2-0
6 Waukee 2-0
7 Urbandale 3-0
8 Ankeny Centennial 1-1
9 Cedar Rapids Prairie 1-0
10 Iowa City West 1-0
11 Des Moines Roosevelt 1-1
12 West Des Moines Valley 1-2
13 Waterloo West 2-0
14 Bettendorf 3-0
15 Ames 1-2

After losing multiple contributors from its NCAA Tournament team, Iowa knew it would have to lean on junior center Luka Garza this season. He has responded with an All America-type start to the season. The 6-foot-11 Garza enters his Big Ten opener at fourth-ranked Michigan as the only Power Five player in the country averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Garza is also shooting 56.8 percent from the floor and 50 percent on 3s. He leads the Hawkeyes in 10 different statistical categories.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs has been named Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten Conference. Wirfs was named first-team All-Big Ten by league coaches and media. Offensive All-Big Ten teams, along with individual award winners, were announced by the Big Ten Conference on Wednesday.

In addition to Wirfs on the first offensive unit, junior tackle Alaric Jackson was a third team selection by coaches and media. Junior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and freshman center Tyler Linderbaum received honorable mention recognition by coaches and media. Along with earning the Sportsmanship Award, senior quarterback Nate Stanley was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by conference coaches.

Wirfs is the first Hawkeye to earn the offensive lineman award since Brandon Scherff in 2014. The award for offensive line play was first presented in 1984, with Wirfs being the eighth Hawkeye to earn the honor.

Wirfs, who attended Mount Vernon, Iowa, High School, started nine games at right tackle and three at left tackle. He has 32 career starts in three seasons. He was one of six semifinalists for the 2019 Outland Trophy. He earned honorable mention honors in 2018, and in 2017 was the first true freshman to start at tackle under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Jackson, a native of Detroit (Renaissance High School), earned third team honors after being a second team selection a year ago. Jackson started nine games at left tackle, missing three games because of injury. He has 33 career starts, all at left tackle. Jackson was a preseason candidate for the Outland Trophy.

Linderbaum earns his first all-conference recognition after starting all 12 games at center. The Solon, Iowa (Solon High School) native played on the defensive line as a true freshman before moving to offense during bowl prep a year ago.

Smith-Marsette is recognized for the second straight season, as he earned the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year honor in 2018. Smith-Marsette is a native of Newark, New Jersey (Weequahic High School). He led Iowa with 676 receiving yards on 42 receptions. Smith-Marsette scored four receiving touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and one touchdown via a 95-yard kickoff return in Iowa’s win at Nebraska.

Smith-Marsette ranks 20th in career all-purpose yards (2,631) in three seasons. He has amazed 1,224 receiving yards, 1,202 yards on kickoff returns, and 205 rushing yards, scoring 12 total touchdowns. This season he is averaging 16.1 yards on 42 receptions, 25.8 yards on 14 kickoff returns, and 10.3 yards on nine rushing attempts.

Stanley, a native of Menomonie, Wisconsin (Menomonie High School), started all 12 games in 2019 and all 38 games over the past three seasons as Iowa has posted a 26-12 record. Stanley passed for more than 2,700 yards with 14 touchdowns this season. He ranks second in career passing touchdowns (66) and pass attempts (1,128), and third in completions (655), passing yards (8,089), and total offense (7,993).

Iowa (9-3 overall, 6-3 Big Ten) is ranked 16th in the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, 18th by The Associated Press and 19th in the coaches poll. The Hawkeyes are bowl eligible for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons. Iowa’s bowl destination and opponent will be announced Sunday.

2019-All-Big-Ten

2019 Individual Award Winners