Marked on folks calendars for the past six months, Luke Combs announced his “My Kinda Saturday Night Tour” in October spreading across North America and Europe over the span of 23 nights. These shows have been selling out quickly, becoming one of the hottest tickets of the year, and for good reason. The country star has showcased his iconic sound across the worlds biggest stages, introducing countless audiences to the genre. Coming off the heels of a busy year with headlining slots at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, and more, there’s never been a bigger time for Combs. Three weeks removed from his sixth record’s release, The Way I Am, this wave has been high for the singer/songwriter.

Appearing from the tunnels in the north end zone of Jack Trice Stadium came Luke and his band underneath the deluge of cheers as “Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked” played. Making a pit stop for a quick drink before his entrance to the stage, Luke and his Wild Cards all stepped up to their stations. Shaking the stadium from the start, Combs began with the song sharing the titular honors with the tour “My Kinda Saturday Night” as the crowd jumped to their feet. There was no slowing down in Ames, hitting qiuck with “Lovin’ on You” and “Hurricane” following it up. After, Combs dialed back the speed but not the hits, “She Got the Best of Me” brought all 60,000+ voices into one.

Coming in at #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart this past week is “Sleepless in a Hotel Room.” Combs’ 20th song to reach that milestone proves he still has the secret recipe for a hit after a dozen years in the industry. “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” was one of ten songs performed from his latest record The Way I Am, holding over a third of what was played that evening. Tapping into other tunes from the record like “Back in the Saddle” and “Be By You,” these were some of the most entertaining numbers in the show. For the third night on the tour, the band made these weeks old songs sound like staples in the set.

Although there was a heavy dose on the new album, Combs didn’t forget what songs got him to stadiums. Sweetheart’s favorite jam “Better Together” was a catalyst for fans holding each other close and swaying as the temperature dipped into the 50’s. In the middle of the set, Combs and his band took to some barstools on stage as they sang some more heartfelt ballads. Speaking about the range of emotions it takes to write a song, these introspections were a welcomed addition to the set. Whether tapping into the love in his heart for his wife, or a sadness that sometimes feels paralyzing, this honest chapter in the night was a nice breath. “I Ain’t No Cowboy” and “Wish Upon A Whiskey” were absorbed into the crowd at Iowa State during this breakdown.

The lovey-dovey and sadness eventually scampered off and Luke was back to his rocking chart-toppers like “1,2 Many” and “When It Rains It Pours.” During the former, a Luke Combs tradition is following the lyrics of the song to a ‘T’ and shotgunning a beer. Joining the 2019 Country Artist of the Year was Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball legend Georges Niang to blaring applause. The Indiana Pacers draftee of a decade ago was an eager participant and it was delightful to see him back on home turf. While there was no competition on loudest song throughout the night, closer “Beer Never Broke My Heart” would have taken the gold medal. A killer end to the main set, Combs had the audience in the palm of his hand.

The encore was a trio of arguably Combs biggest songs. Beginning with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” bringing the crowd back down to earth after that bombastic finale. Chapman’s tune was first covered by Combs in 2023 for his record Gettin’ Old. Tracy came out for her first live performance since 2015 to accompany the North Carolina native on stage at the 2024 Grammy’s, where Chapman has walked away victorious four prior times.

Luke Combs finished the extensive evening with “Where the Wild Things Are” and his song for Twisters, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma.” The finale was grand and included all the jostling a song about tornados in the home of the Cyclones should cause. Despite the threat of rain, all 5 performers put on a knockdown show at Jack Trice Stadium.

Dierks Bentley

This was very much a country concert. Every musician was country, everyone was dressed country, but if I had to put Dierks Bentley into a genre, it would be ‘Dude Rock’. The definition of ‘Dude Rock’ is very vague, but the main idea is that its just a dude who rocks. And let me tell you, Dierks rocks. Hitting 14 songs spanning his 23-year career, there was everything a super fan, casual fan, and soon-to-be fan could want in the set. Classics like “Drunk On a Plane” and “Free and Easy” got the crowd going by the fourth and final opener of the evening. There was a invigorating and joyful energy put into the air by Dierks and his band as their banter and bits kept the smiles coming in between songs. Dierks Bentley will be on the road this year for his “Off the Map Tour“.

Ty Meyers

The youngest performer on the docket was Texas’ own Ty Meyers. At 18 years of age, there is a long and exciting road ahead of the “Thought It Was Love” singer. With a beat up stratocaster in hand, Meyers pulls on bluesy influence for the lead licks in his songs. His 2026 record Heavy on the Soul made up almost half of his setlist. Other notable plays included two covers, “Valerie” and Tyler Childers’ “Feathered Indians“. A busy year awaits Ty Meyers as he will continue a mix of opening sets and headlining dates across Europe and North America.

Jake Worthington

A little honky tonk never hurt anyone, and Jake Worthington is a prime example. Another Texas native was the second to hit the stage on Saturday, bringing his southern charm to Iowa. We heard four tracks from his 2025 record When I Write The Song including his closer “It Ain’t The Whiskey“. Worthington has already created an extensive collaboration list, including Miranda Lambert and Marty Stuart. This brief look into the the musicians young career was catchy. You can take a much deeper dive into Jake Worthington as his headlining “Intent to Tonk Tour” takes flight later this spring.

Thelma and James

The first band of the busy evening was faced with a slight rain delay, although that didn’t shake Thelma and James. Their hit “Happy Ever After You” spurred them into the spotlight as the two songwriters looked into their own careers on the stage much more seriously. The duo has one album out, Starting Over, released in 2025 and are just over a week removed from their latest single “Alternate Ending” dropping. A fun and sweet sound that welcomed folks as they filed into Jack Trice Stadium. Thelma and James will continue opening for Luke Combs on the rest of his North American dates throughout his “My Kinda Saturday Night Tour”.

Throughout all 5 artists, big and small, there was an energy pulsing in the stadium that was a joy to be apart of. I hope more artists will take advantage of the massive stadiums on college campuses, along with their passionate fan bases. Artists like Luke Combs, Zach Bryan, and Coldplay are paving the way for more collegiate stadium shows in a time when high capacity venues are selling out in minutes. Luke Combs will continue on his “My Kind of Saturday Night Tour” for the remainder of the spring. Jack Trice Stadium will host Post Malone in July.

The post Luke Combs: Live in Iowa appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Offensively, the Hawkeyes had trouble getting going early, only picking up one first down in the entire first quarter. The opening drives consisted of dropped passes, blown up runs, and even a dropped snap by Mark Gronowski. The Cyclones would benefit off the lackluster attack by jumping to a 6-0 lead. 

Iowa’s first points would arrive early in the 2nd, thanks to a muffed punt by Iowa State, setting up the Hawkeyes for a Drew Stevens 31-yard field goal. But the offense continued to struggle constructing drives of their own. Their weakest point came midway in the 2nd quarter where Mark Gronowski threw an interception to Cyclones defensive back Jeremiah Cooper. Iowa State would capitalize off this takeaway by scoring the game’s first touchdown to go up 13-3. 

After this mistake, Iowa’s offense looked better the remainder of the game. While Gronowski showed struggles in the first half, he looked more confident and composed in this game than his debut last week vs. UAlbany. Gronkowski completed 13 of his 24 passes, totaling 83 yards. He wasn’t barred by cramps this week, as he added up 37 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jaziun Patterson, filling in for the injured Kamari Moulton, complemented Gronowski in Iowa’s rushing attack. Patterson was the team’s leading rusher, his statline displaying 60 yards on 11 carries. Gronowski’s rushing score would come in response to the Cyclones first touchdown of the game thanks to critical Cyclones penalties, and the Hawkeyes would cut their lead to 13-10 by halftime. 

After what had to have been a fiery halftime talk, Iowa’s defense came out hot. They forced Iowa State into a quick three and out, and were ready to see Kaden Wetjen let it fly on his return. But Wetjen failed to receive the punt in the air, letting it bounce over his head and getting tackled at Iowa’s own five yard line. To everyone’s surprise, the Hawkeyes marched 77 long yards in almost 9 and a half minutes, finishing with a 36-yard field goal from the trusty leg of Drew Stevens, tying the contest 13-13.

The Iowa State offense continued to struggle against the gritty Hawkeye defense. Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht played a clean game, but was only able to throw for 134 yards on 27 attempts, averaging 5 yards per throw. But one of Becht’s best drives would come at a critical moment. Starting from his own 9-yard line, he would command the Cyclones down the field. In an insane tip drill, a likely interception for Iowa somehow ended up in the hands of ISU receiver Gabe Burkle for a first down that sparked new life into the drive. The Cyclones ended using up about six and a half minutes of the clock, putting them in field goal range. Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy would nail a 54-yard field goal to push Iowa State out in front 16-13. 

Final drive heroics would not be seen on the Hawkeyes end, with Mark Gronowski eating back to back sacks on 2nd and 3rd downs, resulting in a desperate 4th & 16 deep pass falling incomplete. The Cyclones would defeat the Hawkeyes for the second straight year in another narrow finish. It’s their first time winning at home vs. Iowa since 2011, snapping a 6 game winning streak in Jack Trice Stadium for Iowa. 

Iowa will look to bounce back next week at home vs. UMass. While this result stings and the Hawks fell short, Iowa looked very competitive against not just a rival, but a nationally ranked team. And with the offense still figuring out its identity, it’s hard to tell where the ceiling really is.

The post Iowa Falls to Iowa State 16-13 in Annual CyHawk Series Matchup appeared first on KRUI Radio.

In my short answer: yes, there absolutely should be.

The time on the calendar that sports fans begin to set their sights on the upcoming college football season has been the debate that has been raging hot since the 4th of July holiday.

However, we can’t deny the reality of our current situation. National cases are on the climb, over 130,000 Americans have died from the virus and the closest vaccine is likely on hold until this upcoming winter. These are the facts.

The Ivy League has already made the decision to postpone all fall sports until spring, a move that makes sense for them as sports actually drain money from Ivy League schools. For Power 5 conferences, it is not as simple a decision.

Conferences such as the Big Ten and SEC have made football into a billion dollar business and their athletic departments rely on football to pay the bills for sports that lose money. In most cases, they are Olympic sports such as wrestling, track and field, soccer, etc.

Pushing the football season to spring isn’t a given. What if there is no clear decline in cases by the time spring semester arrives? What if the vaccine, that many people are banking on existing, isn’t here yet? There’s too many risks of the season being completely canceled to move the season to spring.

On Monday, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard released an open letter to fans about what impact no football would have on the Iowa State athletic department. In his letter, Pollard states that the Cyclones athletic department would lose $40 million dollars of it’s athletic revenue if there is no football.

This means it’s probable that athletic programs will be cut within the Iowa State athletic program. This will happen all over the country at Power 5 programs without a football season. Kids that have come to universities for an athletic opportunity could have that dream snatched because of not playing due to a virus that has only killed 149 people that are 15 to 24 years old (As of July 8) in the United States.

My best friend from my hometown runs track and field at UNI along with his younger sister. The UNI men’s track and field program has 3 combined conference championships in indoor and outdoor track in the last 3 years, and is arguably the most successful athletic program at UNI in the past decade.

But he nearly didn’t have a program to run for, according to his coach. Track and field has continuously been brought up as a program that would likely be cut if UNI continues to suffer financial hardships in its athletic department. UNI athletics will be hurting even more if no football is played and the fact they lost their buy game with Iowa, which was a missed $650,000 payday.

With no football, the two options UNI has are this: either move it’s football program down to a Division I non-scholarship program (Similar to Drake), or cut more athletic programs. Judging by history, it’s very likely UNI chooses the latter.

The talk of moving football to spring would also affect track and field. If football is played in the spring, track and field would be moved to the fall of 2021. With athletes already preparing for the fall training season, that would mean a preparation period of an entire year before running a track meet.

By the time outdoor conference championships happen for track athletes, everyone is hanging on by a thread. Injuries become more and more common and everyone’s bodies are more than fatigued. Making them practice for a year before running another meet is absolutely crazy.

How is that fair to track and field athletes?

Another aspect to think about is the local economic impact, separate from the athletic departments. To use Iowa State as an example, it is estimated that the Ames area grosses an average $8.9 million every weekend of a home football game.

Plug Iowa City in that equation, the number is likely well over $10 million due to the higher volume of people that Iowa City holds on Saturday’s than Ames does with Kinnick having a capacity that is 7,750 higher than Jack Trice.

Now plug a city in that equation such as Columbus, Ohio, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Austin, Texas. That number doubles, triples, maybe even quadruples that of Iowa and Iowa State. These businesses in college towns make most of their money back from football weekends. It would be crippling to take that away from them.

This past weekend we saw our first football action since the country shutdown. Nebraska held their annual Shrine Bowl at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

A crowd of nearly 2,500 people in a stadium that holds 6,500 people, and based on the information in the tweet above, Nebraska did show the sports world how football will be played with COVID-19. It can be done, and it can be copied and adjusted for stadiums that hold 100,000 people.

Even if games are played without crowds, the monetary blow will be great, but not as great as it would be without football at any capacity. No fans is better than no football.

There are a lot of people I expect to read this and quickly disregard it. I’m a 21-year old college student who probably appears as a “blogger boy”. I’m not an expert on the matter, nor will I ever be, and that is fine.

But, for those reading this with an open mind, all I ask is for you to take what I have talked about into consideration. Yes, people’s lives are at risk from this virus, but the ones who are playing the game make up 1/10th of one percent of all COVID deaths in the United States according to the CDC (.129 percent).

These student-athletes lives aren’t nearly as at-risk as their livelihoods are. I believe that is something worth speaking up and fighting for, to make sure these student-athletes in non-revenue sports are not left without a team to compete for.

The post Opinion: No football spells danger for student-athletes and local economies appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Now that Iowa State’s historically bad football team is ranked, do we pull for them to succeed?

The Cyclones haven’t felt a national ranking since 2005. They claimed the final slot in the AP Top-25 poll this week after defeating Texas Tech. This Iowa State team has accumulated five wins and only faltered twice.

Thankfully, one of those losses came to the Hawkeyes. The other at the hands of Texas in a game where quarterback Jacob Park threw the tantrum of a century. Realistically, Iowa State is a an overtime loss and an earlier quarterback change from being undefeated.

That is a stretch to make for a team that still has two losses but put all of this is perspective. Iowa State has played seven games and only lost twice. Let that sink in.

Those in black and gold have two common reactions to the Cyclones recent success.

And oh how they differ.

First of all, there are those who believe once Iowa has defeated Iowa State they no longer matter until the early fall matchup comes around again. These typically find it in their heart to root on the Cyclones on days they don’t play.

In all reality, what does pulling for them really do. One is in the Big Ten, the other the Big 12. A majority only pay attention when it is a cy-hawk battle in football, basketball, or wrestling. Does it really impact Iowa if they do bad?

The answer is no.

Especially if Iowa beats Iowa State, pulling for them can only help the Hawkeyes strength of schedule. Plus it legitimizes the rivalry in the nation’s eyes. A sweeping opinion is that the game, at least in football, is a burden to Iowa.

This is a simple, when Iowa State is good the rivalry is better as well. In hindsight, Iowa’s win in Ames could be their most impressive victory.

The other option, which seems to be more non-Iowa residents, is that Iowa State favor has no place in Iowa City. They’d like to see a winless season every year. They have been nearly satisfied in recent years.

This idea leaves no room for anything cyclone. Not in football, not basketball, and not in any sport. These are the die-hard Iowa State haters. They embrace the rivalry like those would see the Iron Bowl in Alabama.

In their eyes, regardless of circumstances, Iowa State must lose to Iowa and finish last in the Big 12. There is no room in their heart for a Cyclone.

It is a question that confuses many Hawkeye fans. When Iowa is good, it doesn’t matter. This year though, while Iowa currently boasts three losses, ignoring Iowa State is impossible. Fans are left with a moral dilemma, how to handle Iowa State being good.

Iowa State faces top-five ranked Texas Christian in Ames. Do you cheer for Iowa State?

The post How to Think About Iowa State appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It was a tale of two sides coming into the game as the Cowboys, and their preseason Maxwell Award candidate quarterback and maybe one of the best quarterbacks in the league, Josh Allen, was looking to air it out against the young and Desmond King-less secondary of the Hawkeyes. On the other side, Iowa’s quarterback, Nate Stanley, was making his first college start against a veteran Wyoming secondary. Allen came out in the first quarter hitting his targets as he went 8-10 passing with 47 passing yards, connecting with Austin Conway for half of those completions. Stanley on the other hand ended the first quarter going 0-4 and was intercepted by Rico Gafford with a little less than 11 minutes to go. The Cowboys could not capitalize in the first quarter as the score was 0-0 after a quarter of play.

Wyoming scored first early in the second quarter with a field goal to give themselves a 3-0 lead; however, that would be the last time they would put points on the board. On the next Iowa possession, they marched down the field (thanks in part to a 4th down conversion and Nate Stanley’s first completion for a 19-yard gain) and took the lead with Stanley’s first career touchdown pass to Noah Fant on a 4th and goal. The Hawkeyes quickly stopped the Cowboys to get the ball back only to give it right back when Nate Stanley was sacked and fumbled the ball away to the defense with under a minute to go in the half.

The Hawkeye defense would not let the Cowboys score. Josh Allen was called for grounding which pushed them out of field goal position and then on a 4th down, Tim Zaleski muffed the punt which would set Iowa up on the 32-line of Wyoming. The next play, after an offsides penalty, Stanley found Fant again for his second touchdown pass of the game to make it 14-3 Hawkeyes going into halftime.

Wyoming came out in the second half on fire. The Cowboys were driving down the field but had a potential touchdown pass broken up at the last second by Joshua Jackson which ended the drive and stopped their momentum.

Halfway through the quarter, Nate Stanley gots his third touchdown of the day when a 45-yard completion is taken in for the score by Nick Easley to make the score 21-3. With all the momentum going their way, the Iowa defense forces Wyoming into a three-and-out.

The Hawkeyes turned it over again when Stanley fumbled after a big hit, setting the Cowboys up with good field positioning. The Cowboys still could not put anything on the board as they had a touchdown call reversed and missed a field goal that drive.

Wyoming would get the ball back only to have breakout corner, Josh Jackson, pick off a Josh Allen pass and run it back 41 yards to give the Iowa offense the ball back with good field position. Iowa then kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession to give us the final score of 24-3.

Running back, Akrum Wadley ran for over 100 yards for the game, something that Hawkeye fans are used to seeing as Wadley rushed for over 1000 yards last year. Speaking of the Iowa rushing game, they added another 1000-yard rusher in James Butler which makes Iowa the only team in FBS with two 1000-yard rushers in the backfield.

“We both feel strong about this year,” Wadley said of he and Butler sharing the backfield.” If we keep putting in the hard work and we keep grinding and running behind this line, we’ll be good, we’ll be fine.”

Hawkeye fans will have something to look forward to from one, if not both of these backs.

It is not often a team that has four turnovers wins a game by three possessions but Iowa somehow found a way to shut down Josh Allen and in the process, gave Nate Stanley momentum heading into the highly anticipated rivalry game next week against Iowa State at Ames.

The Hawkeyes still have some work to do on both sides of the ball and hopefully they will figure it out in time so they can bring the Cy-Hawk trophy back to Iowa City.

The post Hawkeyes Start the Season with a Win  appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Iowa Softball team is on a role. I give a quick recap and a look ahead.

The Iowa softball team was on the brink of bringing out the brooms at Pearl Field Sunday afternoon until Rutgers put a stop to those plans. The Scarlet Knights scored to runs in the seventh inning and shutdowns the Hawkeyes in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 2-0 win.

The Hawks don’t have to hang there heads on this one. After a career high for strikeouts for freshman Allison Doocy, the bats came alive on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a four-run fourth inning. The Hawkeyes later tacked on the winning run in the sixth on a Claire Fritsch sacrifice bunt that scored outfielder Cheyenne Pratt.

Head Coach Marla Looper was pleased that the rally took place.

“We squared balls up and started to put the ball in play. We forced some action,” Looper said.

Onward to Sunday.

The Hawkeyes were shutout by Rutgers pitcher Shayla Sweeny (9-13). After scattering four hits and getting on base via the walk, the bats couldn’t produce in the key situations.

“We didn’t have many people on base, but when we did, we had chances,” Looper said.

After taking two out of three games in the series, the Hawkeyes move to 14-24 on the season and 7-7 in conference play.

The team welcomes in in-state rival Iowa State (16-30) for a non-conference clash on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m.

The post Hawkeyes fall in Sunday Tilt, Win Series 2-1 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Favorites

Kansas- The Jayhawks were in a great position to secure the #1 overall seed in the tournament, but they blew it by losing in the Big 12 quarterfinals against TCU. Their draw is still favorable, as the second weekend of the regional is played in Kansas City. That should provide a nice crowd advantage for the Jayhawks, which is significant considering they lost just one home game all season. The Jayhawks identity this season has been offensive domination, averaging over 82 ppg. Point guard Frank Mason is a legitimate candidate to win national player of the year, and rightfully so. Mason can score from anywhere on the court, and he can make plays for his teammates and get them open looks on a consistent basis. His 48.7 percent three point percentage is outrageously good, and that could be a major weapon for Kansas down the stretch. Mason has enough offensive support from shooting guard Devonte’ Graham and freshman forward Josh Jackson that allows him to play within himself and not force things. Kansas is a major force to be reckoned with.

Louisville- Louisville also lost its first conference tournament game, however they matched up against Duke so the committee didn’t hold the loss against them and still granted the cardinals a #2 seed. Louisville has been consistently really good, but was unable to put together a streak of consecutive great wins. They beat Wichita State, then lost to Baylor. Beat Kentucky, lose to Virginia. Beat Duke, lose to Florida State. Beat Notre Dame, lose to Duke. So there ya have it, they can beat anybody, but you have to beat multiple great teams consecutively to advance. Louisville has yet to prove that they can do that. Roster wise this is a typical Rick Pitino team, equipped with multiple fast and aggressive point guards and half a dozen 6’7-6’10 athletes that can guard multiple positions and wreak havoc in their patented full court press. If Louisville’s point guards Donovan Mitchell and Quentin Snider can be as successful as their predecessors Russ Smith and Terry Rozier were in March, the Cardinals just might be able to do some real damage.

Oregon- It seems that every single season a legitimate national championship contender suffers a devastating injury just before the big dance. This years victim of the injury bug is Oregon, as the Ducks lost their starting center Chris Boucher to a torn ACL in the PAC 12 tournament. Boucher is their third leading scorer, second leading rebounder, and leading shot blocker. The Ducks boast about as much natural talent as anyone in the country, with five double digit scorers that helped Oregon win 29 games and the PAC 12 regular season title. But without their anchor in the middle, getting to the final four will be an uphill battle.

Everyone is Talking About…

Iowa State- The Cyclones enter the region as a #5 seed after winning their third Big 12 conference tournament title in the last four years, earning impressive wins against Oklahoma State and West Virginia. The Cyclones flew under the radar for most of the season after a 14-9 start, but they’ve caught the public’s eye winning nine of their last 10. The Cyclones can score, averaging over 80 ppg with four different scorers averaging at least 12 ppg. The engine that keeps them running is all-american point guard Monte Morris, who is their leading scorer and has the best turnover to assist ratio in the country by a large margin. He will be the key for the Big 12 champs.

Don’t be Fooled by…

Michigan State- It’s the time of year where the Spartans usually mysteriously fix all of their season long problems with a snap of a finger, but I wouldn’t count on that happening this season for Izzo’s squad. While uber-talented freshman Miles Bridges is very exciting to watch, he isn’t good enough to dominate games by himself. Not to mention this Spartan squad doesn’t play the type of defense we are accustomed to seeing them play. I know that they played the toughest schedule, but I don’t care, they lost the majority of there marquee match ups anyway. They aren’t getting to Kansas City.

If the Slipper Fits…

Rhode Island- The #11 seed in the regional is entering the tournament on cloud nine after taking control of their own destiny. They have been on the brink of getting their bubble popped the entire last month of the season, but they took themselves off the bubble by winning the A-10 conference tournament in impressive fashion. They’re a confident team right now, and not only is their first round opponent Creighton without their starting point guard, potential second round opponent Oregon is hobbled as well. Rhode Island found themselves a pretty good tournament draw.

Five Players to Watch

FR F Josh Jackson, Kansas- He was suspended by the Jayhawks against TCU in the Big 12 quarterfinal, forcing him to watch the team get upset from the bench. Hopefully he has learned his lesson, as he’s an integral piece to the title hopes of Frank Mason and company.

SO G Donovan Mitchell, Louisville- Mitchell is a unique player, as he’s sort of a tweener between the point and the two, but he’s a scoring machine that can score over bigs in the paint and he’s equally effective defensively. He’s probably the most complete player on their roster, so it’ll be imperative for the Cardinals that he makes his presence felt.

SR PF Deonte Burton, Iowa State- The Marquette transfer has come into his own in Ames, Iowa. He’s undersized, but he more than makes up for it with his athleticism. He can shoot, he can drive, he can run the floor, and he can score in the post. He’s a major weapon for the Cyclones.

JR SF Dillon Brooks, Oregon- He’s unquestionably Oregon’s best player and he can get a shot off against just about

anyone, but he can be a ball stopper at times. He needs to get his teammates involved to keep opposing defenses off balance. The Ducks might need Brooks to score 25 a night, but he has the talent to do so.

SO PF Caleb Swanigan, Purdue- Purdue probably has the best chance of any big ten team to advance to the sweet 16, and their hopes rest primarily on Swanigan’s shoulders.The Big Ten player of the year has a lot of skill and a lot of swagger, the Boilermakers are hoping that will be enough to lead them to Kansas City.

Predictions

While Miami and Big Ten tournament winner Michigan should prove to be formidable opponents for Kansas and Louisville, I doubt either of the top two seeds lose in the first weekend. Dillon Brooks will be able to carry the Ducks to the sweet 16, but Louisville is too deep and too ferocious defensively, the buck will stop there for Oregon. On the top half of the bracket, Swanigan won’t be enough for Purdue against Iowa State. In the sweet 16, Kansas will have the crowd advantage, but their only home loss was against Iowa State. Monte Morris and Frank Mason is as good as point guard match ups come, and I think the turnover immune Morris and the Cyclones will come out on top. While Iowa State will be rolling, they don’t have the depth or the length that Louisville has. I think that Louisville will be going back to the final four for the first time since their 2013 championship run.

The post NCAA Tournament Breakdown: Midwest Region appeared first on KRUI Radio.

CBS reviled the field of 68 Sunday afternoon, leading most college basketball fans around the country to fill out their brackets. Each fan hoping to win their work pool, or the much more unlikely option, having a perfect bracket.

The name of the tournament speaks for itself, the tournament is unpredictable. The odds to accurately predicting a flawless bracket are about 1 in 9.2 quintillion.

Even with such unpredictability, there are a couple themes stand true about who is likely to be making the trip to Glendale for the Final Four. Year after year, the tournament is complete madness but the road to the Final Four is more simple than it would seem.

Veteran Guards Win Championships

Over the last ten years the team that cuts down the nets features a star, usually veteran, guard. Half of the last ten years Final Four Most Outstanding Players were upperclassmen. Add the Russ Smith and Payton Siva from Louisville’s win in 2013 to the mix as well.

Last year, Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono led his team through the gantlet NCAA tournament to their first National Championships since 1985. Coach Jay Wright touted Arcidiacono’s leadership skills, even saying he was a mini version of himself.

Arcidiacono scored 16 points in the championship game but was highlighted by the assist to Kris Jenkins that led to the buzzer-beating shot. Graduating a year ago, Villanova will be without Arcidiacono.

Villanova, among others, features a veteran guard. One that can assist is leading their team through the NCAA tournament.

Josh Hart, a senior for Villanova, is averaging just over 18 points-per-game, leading the team to their number-one seed in East Regional. Not only will his experience in college help but playing on the biggest stage last year won’t hurt.

Hart, a shooting guard, is at the mercy of sophomore Jalen Brunson leading the offense. Brunson and others still are able to find their leader to put on the points for the Wildcats.

Two other veteran shooting guards on power-conference teams have the ability to lead their squad deep into the tournament. UCLA’s Bryce Alford and Duke’s Grayson Allen both have experience on the big stage, Allen won the national championship in 2015.

Alford is playing for his father, Steve, who won the national championship in 1987. Now head UCLA coach, Steve played guard in college as well.

UCLA’s guard play is among the best in the country, featuring Alford and super-star freshman Lonzo Ball. Between the two, UCLA leads all teams averaging over 90 points-per-game.

Midwest Region number-one Kansas also has a two headed monster. Senior Frank Mason III and junior Devonte’ Graham, who alternate at point-guard. As a result, Mason and Graham account for around a fourth of the team’s points.

Mason is among the nation’s top scorers and that is something that is unlikely to change once tournament play begins. He is averaging 20 points-per-game this season.

Conference rival and Big 12 champion Iowa State is a slightly less likely championship contender. Despite being a five-seed, the Cyclones senior Monte Morris holds similar qualities to the above named guards.

Morris leads Iowa State is scoring and has played a key role in the Cyclones peaking at the right time. Morris isn’t the only veteran guard, three of his teammates that rank second, third, and fourth in scoring are also senior guards.

While Iowa State might not be Villanova or Kansas, they could be a team to watch.

Some lower seeded teams aren’t necessarily looking to raise the trophy in Glendale. Their hopes are to win just a game. Having a guard with a hot hand makes that all the more possible.

Winthrop senior Keon Johnson is top-ten in Division I with over 22 point-per-game. His Winthrop Eagles are a 13-seed and will play Butler but that isn’t anything to stop a player shooting 40-percent from behind the arch.

Making over a fourth of Winthrop’s points, Johnson will be an under the radar senior guard to watch on the first weekend.

Don’t Underestimate Anyone

It’s easy to pick by the seeds, and chances are that will result in a solid bracket. Since 2010, 62-percent of top-four seeds have advanced on to the sweet-sixteen. Fairly good odds with as many upsets that due happen.

Each year there are a group of teams that shake up the field and make it further than anyone expected. Whether 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast advancing to the regionals or George Mason making the Final Four, crazy things happen.

Last year was Syracuse, and it very well could be again, that made the Final Four as a double-digit seed. Teams like Wichita State, Butler, and VCU have recently advanced to the final weekend.

Other times it’s an early round upset that busts a bracket. Most times those are harder to predict. Trying to selected a low-seed that will take down a perennial power, it isn’t easy.

Year after year it seems that a 12-seed will knock-off a 5-seed. In the last five years, multiple 5-seeds have fallen each year except 2015.

Often the 12-line corresponds with the bubble. The teams assigned a 12-seed are either the last of the at-large or the best of the small automatic bids. This year that line includes UNC-Wilmington, Nevada, Princeton, and Middle Tennessee.

All four of the 12-seeds will be dangerous in the second round. Each squad boasts a factor that cannot be ignored.

UNC-Wilmington ranks top-five in offensive efficiency. Nevada’s Marcus Marshall averages just under 20 points-per-game. Princeton enters the tournament on a 19 game winning streak. Middle Tennessee, one year removed from upsetting 2-seed Michigan State, returns nearly their entire roster from last years’ team.

Even though the seeds are high, the Big Ten schools tend to show up when it matters. Michigan sits on the seven-line and Wisconsin an eight-seed.

Major conference schools that feel they are seeded low will show two different outcomes. Some will roll over and others will go out with something to prove.

The Big Ten, as a conference, is seeded lower than in the past. In addition, the committee also left out three teams form the big dance: Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. Watching how the Big Ten will respond could present an entertaining tournament.

When All Else Fails, Pick a One-Seed

A one-seed has never lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It’s been close recently, Arizona and Gonzaga both narrowly escaping with single digit wins. The closest a 16 has ever come is one point.

The field features three number-one-seed teams from major conferences and one from a small mid-major. Villanova, Kansas, and North Carolina out of power basketball conferences are the odds on favorites to head to Glendale. Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference champions, have the best record of any team in the tournament.

Villanova and Kansas could face intriguing matchups in the third round. 8-seed Wisconsin is one win from Villanova and 9-seed Michigan State the same distance from Kansas. Both teams played in the Final Four two years ago.

North Carolina, the one-seed in the South Regional, has been the third most talked about school of the region. Both ESPN and CBS thought higher of Kentucky and UCLA out of that bracket than the Tar Heels, despite their regular season ACC title.

Multiple teams, all seeded anywhere from one to three, could have been on the one-line. UCLA, Duke, Kentucky, and Oregon could all make a run at the Final Four.

Look for the high seeds to be strong, even with as crazy as the year has been. The one-seeds have history on their side.

The post What to Look for in March Madness appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Associated Press released its poll of the top 25 men’s college basketball teams in the nation (http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll).

No changes to the top two sports as Villanova and Kansas hold their positions from last week. Virginia comes into the top five as the number three team in the nation after previously being ranked seven. Oklahoma remains number three due to the fact that they tied Virginia in points based off of how the writers voted. The Xavier Musketeers are at the five spot to round out the top five.

Michigan State moves up from their eight spot to six.

Your Hawkeyes slide down to eight after the loss to Penn State, their only game on the schedule for their entire week.

The Terrapins, coming off of a loss to Minnesota, drop down to the tenth spot to round out the top ten.

The Hoosiers and the Boilermakers of Purdue are the next two teams from the Big Ten in the top 25 coming in at 18 and 20, respectively.

Highest Movers: Louisville Up seven spots to 18, Duke up five spots to 15.

BIG GAMES AHEAD- ALL TIMES EASTERN

Saturday February 27, 2016

9 Arizona (22-5, 10-4) v.s. 22 Utah (21-7, 10-5)- 2:00

7 North Carolina (22-5, 11-3) v.s. 3 Virginia (21-5, 10-4)- 6:30

(http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/scoreboard)

College basketball fans salivate. Another week of outstanding matchups that will be nothing short of greatness.

The Hawkeyes faceoff against the Ohio State Buckeyes at 3:00 on Sunday trying to get back on track after the loss to wisconsin last night.

The post Week 16 Rankings and A Look Ahead appeared first on KRUI Radio.

After the sudden death of former Hawkeye safety Tyler Sash on Tuesday, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have been dealing with not only preparing for a game against their biggest rival but also mourning the loss of one of the greatest players to put on an Iowa Hawkeye uniform.

“It’s tough to deal with things like this, but the support of former players and fans have been outstanding for not only us but Tyler’s family,” Ferentz said.

After the Hawkeye’s 31-17 victory inside Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Ferentz was just glad they escape Ames with a big victory.

“We had some very difficult circumstances this week, and our guys battled.”

Junior quarterback CJ Beathard, who is only starting his third game in an Iowa uniform, had himself quite the game through the air and on the ground. He completed 15 of his 25 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

He also had 10 rushes for 114 yards on the ground, one of two 100-yard rushers for Iowa. Beathard saw good pressure from the Iowa State defensive line most of the game, and he used his legs to make something out of nothing and give Iowa a needed lift on the ground with runs of 44 and 57 yards on the day.

“Coach (Greg) Davis called a few quarterback draws and the offensive line gave me some nice holes,” Beathard said.

“I was dying after those runs though,” Beathard joked.

Beathard’s favorite target on Saturday was receiver Matt Vandeberg. Vandeberg seemed to take the role of security blanket for Beathard, especially on third down. He caught a team high nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown on a fumble recovery, including a big 48-yard catch on a 3^rd and 21 for the Hawkeyes.

Despite the win, however, Iowa did have two key players get hurt and miss the majority of the game. Senior defensive lineman Drew Ott left the game in the first quarter with a wrist injury. Ott did go to the locker room for further examination, and was back on the sidelines in the second half wearing a sling and no pads.

Also, senior running back LeShun Daniels Jr. did not play in the second half after suffering an ankle injury. Coach Ferentz said he would know more about both players and their availability for next week’s game against Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Without Ott on the defensive line, Iowa struggled at first with getting pressure on Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson. However, they did sack the Cyclone quarterback four times. The defense also held the Iowa State offense to 67 yards on 31 plays an no points in the second half.

Nate Meier and Josey Jewell led Iowa defensively with seven total tackles apiece. Desmond King had an interception and a 50-yard punt return to overshadow his rough start to the day on special teams. The Hawkeye defense also had six tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.

“If we want to be competitive in November like we want to, we have to win games like these and I thought our guys did an awesome job closing things out,” Coach Ferentz said.

Iowa moves to 2-0 on the season, and they will be action next Saturday at Kinnick Stadium under the lights against the Pitt Panthers. We will have the game on KRUI and krui.fm. Kickoff is set for 7:00 P.M.

The post Beathard, Hawkeyes take down Cyclones in Ames appeared first on KRUI Radio.