Heading into their 99th ever meeting, questions swirled around the health of Mark Gronowski, after he exited the game late vs. Indiana two weeks ago. With an assist from the bye week, Gronowski got the nod to start and played through the majority of the game, where he put up 107 yards on 17 completions out of 24 attempts, and had a rushing touchdown. 

Kamari Moulton took the workhorse role tonight, and it came at the right time considering Iowa was without Jaziun Patterson and Terrell Washington Jr. It also came in handy as it gave the offense a better opportunity to sway away from leaning on a banged up Mark Gronowski to lead the charge. It’s in Iowa’s best interest to keep Gronowski as healthy as possible as the team is now entering the second half of the football season. 

Moulton had a triumphant showing, leading the ground game for the Hawkeyes with 96 yards and a touchdown, while also racking up 3 catches for 29 yards. Redshirt freshman Xavier Williams made his presence known, running for 55 yards and 2 touchdowns alongside Moulton, as Wisconsin struggled to find answers for the Iowa rushing attack. True freshman Nathan McNeil complemented the ground game with an admirable 9 carries for 40 yards. 

But the defensive side of the ball is where Iowa really shined this game. Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons went 8/21 and was held to 82 yards. He threw two interceptions to, believe it or not, two defensive linemen for Iowa. One nearly resulted in six for the defense, when Aaron Graves jumped in front of a screen pass and picked it off where he ran it back before being caught at the 1-yard line. The Badgers are having clear offensive problems, only scoring 34 points in the last four weeks, dead last in the conference.

This game felt, in a good way, strange for Hawkeye fans. A community that has been so used to heavily lacking offensive play in this decade, the fans finally got to be on the other side of the stick for once. And what made this different was that it came against a typically competitive Big Ten opponent. No matter how uninspiring Wisconsin may have looked, lifting a trophy at the end of the night to get a dub against your rival is always a big win that is felt all season long. 

The Hawkeyes move to 4-2 on the season with a 2-1 conference record. Next week they play Penn State at home, who are in the midst of a total collapse. The hawks will have a chance to seize an opportunity and get another conference victory. 

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They fought valiantly in their Big Ten opener, but unfortunately they fell short to Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0 in Big Ten) 28-17.

Ultimately, it was two big special team blunders and a long Badger drive that cost Iowa (3-1, 0-1 in Big Ten).

Both were fumbles, the first one was knocked out of Kyle Groeneweg’s hands the second came courtesy of Shaun Beyer’s foot inadvertently grazing the ball before being recovered by the Badgers.

It was the latter one that stung the most for the Hawkeyes as it set the Wisconsin offense up in the red zone and they capitalized with a touchdown.

“We made some critical errors,” coach Kirk Ferentz said. “If you’re going to win in the Big Ten you’ve got to play cleaner football than what we did tonight.”

The game started in the typical rough-and-tumble play that is to be expected when these two teams meet.

Both teams scored touchdowns in the second quarter, Wisconsin on a 6-yard pass and Iowa on a 20-yard pass from Nate Stanley to Noah Fant to make it a 7-7 tie going into half time.

It was Iowa who came out strong to start the second half, kicking a field goal on their first drive, then after Wisconsin put up 7, the offense rallied again once again on a Stanley to Fant connection that made it 17-14 heading into the fourth.

All game long the Hawkeye offense seemed to be grooving to the tune of the Kinnick faithful.

Stanley put up 256 yards with two touchdowns and only one pick, Ivory Kelly-Martin returned after missing the previous two games with 79 yards on 14 attempts, and T. J. Hockenson had a big night catching three passes for 125 yards.

But the grooving stopped I the fourth.

The same Iowa offense that had put up 332 yard in the first three quarters, managed just 72 in the fourth, 27 of those yards came on a meaningless last-second play.

Perhaps the most disappointing blunder for the Hawkeye offense came on their first drive of the fourth quarter, when Stanley missed a wide open  Hockenson on first down.

“I just missed that throw,” Stanley said. “I think that would’ve set the tone for a good drive because he would’ve caught it a ran for a while. That’s definitely one I want back.”

Instead of the drive starting out with a big gain, the Hawkeyes were forced into second and long, then a three-and-out.

That made way for the Badgers to do their damage, and they did just that.

With 5:40 to go Wisconsin got the ball on their own 12 and put together a steady drive which took them all the way down the field and ended with a 17-yard pass from Alex Hornibrook to A. J. Taylor to put Wisconsin up 21-17 with 57 seconds to go.

A Stanley interception and 33-yard touchdown run by Alec Ingold officially sealed Iowa’s fate.

“It hurts,” Safety Jake Gervase said of the loss. “When you play as hard as you can for sixty minutes it hurts. We got to play better. Credit to Wisconsin they played better tonight in all three phases.”

As always, Ferentz will allow the players 24-hours to get over this game and then its on to the next.

Iowa has a bye week next weekend, but they will travel to Minnesota on the 6th of October at TCF Bank Stadium.

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Iowa defeated the odds Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, putting together their best complete game as a team in well over a month as they rolled over the Badgers, 85–67.

“We watched a lot of film of the Purdue game”, said Iowa center Luka Garza, “Seeing the lack of awareness, attention to detail … we saw that … and it was hard for a lot of our guys, and we locked into what we needed to do, and we did it.”

Garza stole the show on Tuesday, putting together one of his best games in what has been a miraculous freshman season for the big man. Garza tied for the team lead with 17 points, collected 16 rebounds and more than held his own on the defensive end against Badgers All-American Ethan Happ. Happ finished with 21 points but was kept in tune most of the first half and turned the ball over four times.

Garza’s performance did not go unnoticed.

“He’s a gamer. He’s a warrior. He’s relentless,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “He’s a worker,” said Tyler Cook, “He’s always in the gym, always working on his game … when you got a guy like that, even if you struggle, you never hit a wall.”

Garza’s 16 rebounds are the most by any Iowa player in almost two years. He’s improved almost all aspects of his game since a slow start to Big Ten play in the new year.

Cook added 17 points of his own while throwing down some ferocious dunks to open the second half.

“He had a monster game,” said McCaffery. “I thought he was a big reason why we got the lead we got.”

Iowa did not light up the scoreboard with three-pointers like they have tried to do in recent games, only nailing six threes, but their defense on that same end was steadily improved. After allowing a Big Ten record 20 three-pointers against Purdue on Saturday, Iowa held Wisconsin to just 4 of 18 shooting from beyond the arc.

“We weren’t happy with what we did this weekend,” said Garza. “We locked in, everyone was focused and ready to play with emotion, and when you do that, momentum comes your way.”

One of the key moments in the game came towards the very end of the first half, with the Hawkeyes leading by just four. Isaiah Moss took a corner three that looked to be too strong off the back rim, before bouncing around a bit and falling through the hoop. It put the Hawkeyes up seven, which they would stretch to nine (again via Moss) a few seconds later.

“Oh yeah,” said Moss, when asked if he knew that shot was going in. “The timeout before that, Tyler said he was going to pass it to me, so I was ready.”

The Hawkeyes had been lacking that sort of continuity and preparedness on offense in their last several Big Ten games. If the kinds of messages sent after the Purdue loss continue to resonate, the Hawkeyes could surprise some teams the last half of Big Ten play.

Iowa is back in action on Saturday when they visit Nebraska.

The post Hawkeyes Get Back on Track with Victory Over Wisconsin appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Iowa has had the best of luck with these kinds of stories. Just this year, the Kinnick Wave captured the hearts and minds of the nation, even winning the annual Disney Spirit Sports Award. But, if you had the chance to be at the Purdue-Iowa slaughter at Carver, the annual Chris Street reminded the Iowa faithful of why we love sports.

January 19^th, 2018 marks the 25^th anniversary of the passing of Hawkeye legend Chris Street. Street lived out his dream, even if it was marked short. The legend of Chris Street was never about his stats. Street’s passion was such a high intensity that the only thing you’d be able to do is be in awe. And smile. Chris did that a lot, another level of the legend. Not only did Street have an unparalleled passion for the game, but his lovable personality and magnetic smile was equally a force to be reckoned.

Iowa fell in love with Chris Street because Street was Iowa embodied. Street had the “Iowa Nice” personality commonly found in the Hawkeye State and held the tenacity of the court that is a by-product of his tough, blue collar work ethic. But, more than anything, Chris Street woke up everyday wanting to do nothing more than to play basketball for his Hawkeyes. The University of Iowa released a video and showed the same video during halftime of the Purdue-Iowa contest one day after the 25^th anniversary of his passing. The following link goes to the inspirational tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48dGMn_muYk.

The game prior to and following the Chris Street tribute did not have the match the intensity of the Iowa legend. Purdue put Iowa out of the game in the first ten minutes of the first half and merely poured on the point. Making the game seem like nothing more than a morning stroll, the Boilermakers sliced through the soft Iowa defense on its way to a Big10 record in most 3-pointers in a game. 20 shots fell out to 33 attempted from beyond the arc for the third nationally ranked Purdue squad. Iowa could and would not come close after taking an early 3-0 lead in an eventual 87-64 loss.

Purdue will be taking their talents back home to West Lafayette, Indiana in a matchup against Michigan on Thursday, January 25^th at 6 pm CST. The next game for the Iowa comes with another tribute to Chris Street. However, in this Tuesday contest against the hated Wisconsin Badgers, Iowa will be wearing the Gold jerseys. Iowa faces Wisconsin on January 23 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 6 pm CST.

The post Forever 40: Remembering Chris Street appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This storied conference is rich in past glory, but the teams continue to make history every year. All fourteen teams are in a constant battle for supremacy in the conference and the 2017 Big Ten season is just getting underway.

14. Rutgers – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: N/A

(1-3, 0-1) Next Game: vs #11 Ohio State

Before losing in Lincoln, Rutgers got its first win on the season against the Morgan State Bears. The Scarlet Knights have struggled to get much going so far this season, but put up a fight against Nebraska.

Looking for its first conference win since Oct. 17, 2015, Rutgers has a tough test against Ohio State coming. Senior quarterback Kyle Bolin has thrown for a subpar 642 yards this season and they’ll need a more impressive outing from him if the team wants to beat a ranked team for the first time since 2009.

13. Illinois – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: N/A

(2-1, 0-0) Next Game: vs Nebraska

Illinois lost its first game on the season against #22 South Florida, but it wasn’t all that close. Quarterback Chayce Crouch was benched midway through the game in favor of backup Jeff George Jr. It wasn’t just the offense that struggled, the Illini defense allowed 680 yards of offense on Friday night.

Illinois has a good chance of getting a win at home and tying last season’s win total. Tanner Lee has been struggling for Nebraska and freshman running back Mike Epstein should thrive against a Nebraska defense that allows upwards of 350 yards a game.

12. Nebraska – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: vs Rutgers

(2-2, 1-0) Next Game: at Illinois

The nonconference has been a disappointment for the Huskers. A 1-2 start got athletic director Shawn Eichorst canned and head coach Mike Riley cannot afford to lose this one. Considering the next two games are Wisconsin and Ohio State, this contest becomes all the more important.

Junior QB Tanner Lee has disappointed for Nebraska by leading the Big Ten with nine interceptions through four starts. He’s thrown 146 times for 898 yards, but has cost his team plenty of chances down the stretch. This will be a great stage for Lee to prove that he’s worth his weight.

11. Northwestern – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: N/A

(2-1, 0-0) Next Game: at Wisconsin

Northwestern was a sleeper pick to win the Big Ten West this season, but after the walloping at the hands of Duke, it’s not looking as likely. Clayton Thorson has been uninspiring thus far and the defense hasn’t backed him up.

The Wildcats have turned the ball over seven times in three games and they head to Camp Randall Stadium for its toughest test of the year. Wisconsin has a Big Ten best +5 turnover margin so far and will not make it easy for Thorson.

10. Maryland – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Texas

(2-1, 0-0) Next Game: at Minnesota

You’ve got to feel for this Terrapins squad. Both Tyrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill have suffered season-ending injuries and the team is now relying on sophomore Max Bortenschlager. Regardless of who’s throwing, the team will depend on star wide receiver D.J. Moore who leads the conference in receiving yards (323) and touchdowns (four).

Winning in Minneapolis is much easier for an east coast team now than in frigid mid-November, so that’s one solace the Terps can take. The team has done well to take care of the ball thus far and Bortenschlager will have to improve quickly to compete at TCF.

9. Indiana – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Virginia

(2-1, 0-1) Next Game: at Penn State

Freshman running back Morgan Ellison ran for 186 yards and two scores in his first career start which is great news for Indiana. The team struggled on the ground in its first two games and Ellison will need to exploit Penn State’s linebacking corps to stand a chance.

There’s no real chance that Indiana wins this football game in Happy Valley and the near future doesn’t look much better for the Hoosiers. However, the team gave Ohio State a run for its money in the first half a month ago and can still air it out despite the defense’s deficiencies.

8. Michigan State – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: N/A

(2-1, 0-0) Next Game: vs Iowa

Getting dismantled in East Lansing by Notre Dame is no way to end the nonconference slate, but no one expected an insane Spartan resurgence this season. After a forgettable 3-9 season, MSU sophomore Brian Lewerke leads the charge to kick off the Big Ten schedule against Iowa.

Sparty is favored in this one, but the team will have their hands full against the Hawkeyes. The team’s only test thus far has been a home blowout, so the team will need to reset for the Big Ten schedule. The team is already much better than last year and improvement is certain.

7. Purdue – 0 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Missouri

(2-2, 0-1) Next Game: BYE

The Boilermakers have been an oddity of sorts in the Big Ten. Purdue has gone from nearly upsetting the defending Heisman winner on opening weekend and dismantling Missouri last week to losing handily at home to Michigan and its backup QB.

Switching between Elijah Sindelar and David Blough has been a roller coaster for the team with both QBs notching over five touchdowns so far. Heading into a bye week will give the coaching staff enough time to evaluate its shot caller scenario before the Minnesota game.

6. Minnesota – 3 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Oregon State

(3-0, 0-0) Next Game: vs Maryland

PJ Fleck has rowed the boat to an undefeated nonconference schedule and his defense has dominated. The Gophers have allowed three touchdowns in as many games and have six takeaways so far.

At home against Maryland, Minnesota and its running game should roll over an already depleted Maryland squad. The Terps have allowed 39.5 points per game in their two contests against FBS opponents and its third-string QB will struggle to keep up.

5. Iowa – 16 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Iowa State

(3-1, 0-1) Next Game: at Michigan State

A heartbreaking loss in the final seconds has Iowa reeling, but the team showed that it can fight to the finish with any Big Ten team if they’re at Kinnick. However, the team will be in East Lansing against Michigan State and hasn’t faced the Spartans since the Big Ten Championship in 2015.

Sophomore quarterback Nate Stanley has put up impressive numbers through four games, passing for 12 touchdowns and only one pick. The reason for Iowa’s success, however, his supporting cast. Linebacker Josey Jewell led the team in tackles and managed a fumble recovery and interception in the loss versus PSU. The defense will put plenty of pressure on the Spartans, but there will be memories of the championship game two years ago.

4. Ohio State – 1016 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at Indiana

(3-1, 1-0) Next Game: at Rutgers

Since losing at home to Oklahoma, the Buckeyes have rolled over some relatively measly competition at home. Traveling to New Jersey, OSU is favored by 30 against a team struggling to put up points.

Freshman running back J.K. Dobbins leads the conference in rushing yards (520) and will likely keep pushing the bar against Rutgers. J.T. Barrett is regaining form since his dud against the Sooners and doesn’t get another true test until Penn State on Oct. 28.

3. Wisconsin – 1023 AP Votes – Notable Wins: at BYU

(3-0, 0-0) Next Game: vs Northwestern

The Badgers are rolling on defense, allowing 10 points per game entering this home contest. Hoping to take an early lead in the Big Ten West, Wisconsin is touting a prolific offense to pair well with the intimidating defense.

Freshman back Jonathan Taylor is hitting the ground running 438 yards on only 53 carries. This is good news for the Badgers as the Wildcats have allowed over 150 rushing yards per game. A fast start is in the cards for this team as NW doesn’t match up well in any category.

2. Michigan – 1088 AP Votes – Notable Wins: vs Florida, at Purdue

(4-0, 1-0) Next Game: BYE

Michigan is running a fine-tuned machine through four weeks. The Wolverines lost ten starters from their stellar defense last season, yet haven’t missed a beat. Tallying an astounding 18 sacks in the first four games, this D is lights out.

The real issue is the offensive unit. Inconsistent Wilton Speight left the Purdue contest with an injury and John O’Korn picked up where he left off, throwing for 270 yards, one score and one pick. The season will be decided on the success (or lack thereof) of the offensive side, but the blue and maize look quite impressive through four.

1. Penn State – 1304 AP Votes – Notable Wins: vs Pittsburgh, at Iowa

Winning a night game at Kinnick is no easy feat and it seemed like the Nittany Lions wouldn’t be able to get it done when trailing by four with less than two minutes on the clock. However, Heisman candidate Saquon Barkley’s bulging stat line (305 total yards, one TD) proved too much for the Hawks to handle as Penn State won on the final play.

This team is not only the best team to watch in the Big Ten, but arguably the best to watch in the country. This averted upset proved that Barkley is even better than imaginable and that quarterback Trace McSorley’s stats and game management are for real. Penn State is the all-around most complete team in the Big Ten, hands town.

The post Big Ten Football in Full Swing appeared first on KRUI Radio.

#1: Gonzaga (61) V. West Virginia (58) (Sweet 16)

One of my three brackets had those dang Mountaineers winning the whole thing. And If they would have, I would have looked like an NCAA genius. Alas, the term “Would have” was used twice in that last sentence. A defensive battle through and through, these two teams relied on their ability to create turnovers and hit shots from outside the paint. The Bulldogs started to pull away midway through the second half, but Jevon Carter hit crucial shots to pull the Mountaineers close,

and even in the lead late. Gonzaga remained unfazed as they have been the whole year under Head Coach Mark Few, and Jordan Mathews hit the dagger 3 in the end. It was so refreshing to watch a college basketball game that relied so heavily on defense yet remained so close. Even though West Virginia out rebounded Gonzaga 41-34, They only shot 27% from the field. Yikes. That’s not a winning formula. Yet, they remained close the whole game. This was a classic nail-biter the whole way, and a true test for the Bulldogs.

#2 South Carolina (88) V. Duke (81) (Round of 32)

The surprise team of the bracket, South Carolina, started paving their road to the final four with this win against ACC champions, Duke. This game was all about momentum. Duke had a 30-23 lead at halftime. Grayson Allen was leading his Blue Devils as to what seemed like a certain sweet sixteen bid, until Sindarius Thornwell got hot in the second half, leading a 65 point surge against the Blue Devils with 19 points of his own. Which, is the most points allowed in a single half by a Mike Krzyzewski-led team. The swing of momentum and shooting in the second half led to a fall from grace for Duke, who had an impressive end of the season. And although the Gamecocks fell to the aforementioned Bulldogs, their run was a true testament as to how unexpected the month of March can really be.

#3 Xavier (73) V. Arizona (71) (Sweet 16)

The #11 Musketeers were the cinderella story of this year. They beat #6 Maryland and then went on to vaporize #3 Florida State. After those two tests of strength, Xavier met against the #2 Wildcats, who were favorites to not only win the game, but make it to the final four. This game, like most on this list, was close until the bitter end. Trevon Bluiett led Xavier with 25 points and was 9/17 from the field. But what made this game so interesting to watch were the final 45 seconds. Where Sean O’mara got one of the most beautiful passes I have ever seen to score down low to put the Musketeers up by two. After a missed shot and 20 seconds off the clock, O’Mara had the chance to be the hero once more, by

going to the line to put Xavier up by 4 and end the game. He, however, failed to make his first and only free throw, giving Arizona a chance to score. After passes galore from the Wildcats, Allonzo Trier missed his last shot of the tournament, propelling #11 Xavier to the Elite Eight. It was a crazy one to watch, and a bracket-buster for sure.

Honorable Mentions:

Oregon (69) V. Michigan (68) (Sweet 16)

North Carolina (75) V. Kentucky (73) (Elite Eight)

Wisconsin (65) V. Villanova (62) (Round of 32)

#4 Florida (84) V. Wisconsin (83) ( Sweet 16)

It what was arguably the most exciting last 3 minutes of the tournament, the Wisconsin Badgers and Florida Gators matched up in a sweet sixteen game that will not be soon forgotten. After a pretty even 1st half, both teams seemed to be in a good position to take the reins and lead the game away from the other team. Florida was that team. They came out with a high-energy attack that left Virginia in the dust in their Round of 32 victory. Playing fast, smart basketball is what Florida does best. Up 68-56 with 5 minutes to go is almost always a death sentence. Not for the Badgers. Creating turnovers and capitalizing on them was Wisconsin’s way of letting the world that they’re still kicking, and not going down without a fight. Zak Showalter became the hero for the entire state of Wisconsin after his incredibly awkward 3-point shot with 3 seconds left in the game. Sending the what was sure to be over game into overtime.

There, Wisconsin rode the momentum given to them by Showalter and jumped ahead. With the score being 80-75 with one minute left, the Gators seemed all but finished. But, they call it March Madness for a reason. Just like the Badgers before them, the Gators capitalized on Badger mistakes, bringing the game within 2 with a few seconds to go. And, like Zak Showalter before him, Chris Chiozza hit his mark at the buzzer. Forever enshrining himself in Gainesville basketball legend.

Excitement comes in the strangest of forms

Thinking about March Madness is well, maddening. The odds of a perfect bracket are so astronomically improbable, you might as well figure yourself a football playing king in space. With a mustache. Picking teams that you are likely not connected to in any way aside from, “I need the Tar Heels to win because Janice from Accounting has the Wildcats winning. And I want Janice’s money.” The typical affair. And these picks make our heads hurt when they lose, or our hearts light when the win. It’s all about being alive and experiencing the wonder of sport. Being a fan even if it is only for one month. And if this year taught us anything, the Madness won’t stop anytime soon.

The post After the Madness: A Story of Broken Brackets appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Pop on the television on any given weekday or weekend and chances are there is going to be an intriguing college basketball game on.

When the academics are done and there is nothing else to do in the middle of the day or night, I often find myself partaking in the viewing of men’s college basketball.

As I sat down to brainstorm ideas for this article, I thought about which games stood out to me.

Without further ado, here are the ten most memorable games I have watched so far this college basketball season (in order of date played).

 November 22, 2016      

The teams: Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons v #3 Indiana Hoosiers

The result: Mastodons 71 Hoosiers 68

The skinny: Not only are the IUPU schools my favorite group of satellite schools, they also have the most fun name to type. The Mastodons took down the Hoosiers in Fort Wayne and left everyone in awe.

Obviously this was an early season hiccup for the Hoosiers, but for a team that is on the bubble like themselves this loss will come back to haunt them.

December 3, 2016

The teams: #11 UCLA Bruins v #1 Kentucky Wildcats

The result: Bruins 97 Wildcats 92

The skinny: Both teams just ooze NBA prospects. This game was back and forth the entire way and the guard play was outstanding for both teams. Could this be a preview of a matchup in late March or early April? Only time will tell.

December 17, 2016

The teams: #6 Kentucky Wildcats v #7 North Carolina Tarheels

The result: Wildcats 103 Tarheels 100

The skinny: Malik Monk proved to me that he is easily one of the best guard at this level by scoring 47 points. Kentucky has the young guns and North Carolina has the veterans. Those two recipes that have made up these two incredibly exciting teams to watch moving forward.

January 4, 2017

The teams: #1 Villanova Wildcats v #18 Butler Bulldogs

The result: Wildcats 58 Bulldogs 66

The skinny: Villanova has a great backcourt in Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

The Bulldogs are everyone’s favorite Cinderella team a few years ago. The Big East is an underrated conference and it will be a dogfight to see who is on top of the standings at the end of the season (pun intended).

January 21, 2017

The teams: #14 Arizona Wildcats v # UCLA Bruins

The result: Wildcats 96 Bruins 85

The skinny: Arizona came into Pauley Pavilion and took care of business. They have the most underrated freshman in the country in Lauri Markkanen. With Allonzo Trier back from suspension, Arizona is going to make some noise and these two will be leading the way.

January 25, 2017

The teams: #2 Kansas Jayhawks v #18 West Virginia Mountaineers

The result Jayhawks 69 Mountaineer 85

The skinny: The score is not what I was interested in, it’s what comes after the game. West Virginia Head Coach Bob Huggins gets a $25,000 bonus every time he beats Kansas. While that is certainly a nice lump sum, Huggins donated this bonus to charity. The Mountaineers are another team to look at critically when filling out your bracket.

January 28, 2017

The teams: #2 Kansas Jayhawks v #4 Kentucky Wildcats

The result: Jayhawks 79 Wildcats 73

The skinny: Kansas had an absolutely crazy week towards the end of January. Themselves and Kentucky will be some of the most battle tested teams headings towards the end of the regular

season.

February 4, 2017

The teams: Iowa State Cyclones v #3 Kansas Jayhawks

The Result: Cyclones 92 Jayhawks 89

The Skinny: Iowa State is a team that just does not go away. They can score in bunches and hang around with the best of them. Not to mention, the Jayhawks had a 51-game winning streak at home. Playing in the toughest conference in college basketball, the Cyclones will be prepared for the Big 12 Tournament come March.

February 9, 2017

The teams: #5 Oregon Ducks v #10 UCLA Bruins

The result: Ducks 79 Bruins 82

The skinny: Oregon and Baylor have the most flourencent uniforms in the country and it’s not even close. Anyway, the Ducks have experience and have played well down the stretch in past seasons and have the right leadership in place to make a deep run.

February 12, 2017

The teams: Northwestern Wildcats v #7 Wisconsin Badgers

The result: Wildcats 66 Badgers 59

The skinny: After previously going 14-1 at the Kohl Center, the Wildcats get another resume boosting win.

They have been playing without starting swingman Scottie Lindsey for a little bit and have really clamped down on the defensive end. If you are a member of the Northwestern community, Selection Sunday could be Christmas in March for you.

If I could watch every game, I would. Time does not allow me to do that. The rest of the season is sure to be all fine and dandy.

March Madness is right around the corner. Boy, I can’t wait.

The post Memorable Games and a Look Ahead appeared first on KRUI Radio.

There were flyers posted in the entryway of the restaurant and all over this side of Waupun. We even gave

Piggly Wiggly, the only grocery store in town, flyers to place in all the bags and there are posters on both sets of doors.

Logan never showed up at my place once we left End of the Trail two weeks ago. Olivia and I waited an hour for her, calling and texting her with no responses. Eventually, we went back to the coffee shop to see if she was still there, but all we found was her car with the door thrown open.

The minute we saw this, we called the police. We went in for questioning right away but ever since they let us go, we’ve been kept in the dark.

Our food arrives and we try to eat it, but everyone keeps staring at us. People always look at us with pity in their eyes. We are the friends of the missing girl. And for a small town, you can’t escape it. Once the word is out, it’s out. Nothing can get it back in.

Everyone thinks we have something to do with her disappearance–that we helped her run away and this is all a hoax. But, let me tell you, it’s not. This is real. This actually happened. One of my best friends is missing and all anyone can do is stare.

It doesn’t help that we are at the restaurant she worked at. The waitresses are all acting differently towards us. They think we know everything that is happening within the investigation, even though that’s not the case.

Olivia and I can’t take the staring anymore, so we ask one of the waitresses for the check and some boxes and we head back to Olivia’s place. I’m pretty sure everyone in Helen’s Kitchen was happy to see us leave.

Her kitchen is painted light yellow with white cabinets and wood flooring throughout. There is an island with bar stools and a little table in the corner of the room that is surrounded by windows, which is where we always sit. Her mom walks in just as we finish our dinner.

Mrs. Bennett looks just like Olivia, with her long ginger hair and green eyes. They are even of the same height. She teaches chemistry at the high school, while Mr. Bennett works for the city in the Parks and Recreation department. Even though they don’t seem like they would know much about what’s happening within the town, they usually know the most gossip. And today is no different.

“It’s a Friday night; don’t you guys want to go out? Isn’t there a hockey game you can go to?” she asks us while taking her coat off.

“Now why would we go to that? I have never been to a hockey game in my life, why would I start now?” Olivia replies.

“Maybe you should try it. Get a change of scenery. You can’t keep waiting by the phone for news about Logan. I know how important she is to you, but the police have it handled.”

“Handled? They haven’t given a single update since she’s gone missing! It seems like she low priority or something! And I’m not hanging out by the phone. I just don’t like sports.” Just then, Mr. Bennett enters the kitchen from the living room.

“Are you talking about Logan?” he joins the conversation.

“Yeah, have you heard anything yet?” Olivia asks him.

“The police are bringing in Travis Reynolds for questioning. Apparently those two have been texting and he might know something about her whereabouts. Did you guys know that they’ve been talking?”

“We knew that they’ve been talking for a while, but we don’t know what their conversations consisted of. Do you think he had something to do with her disappearance?” I ask him.

“I don’t know. But I do think he could know something that you guys didn’t. Even if it’s something basic, at this point anything will help.”

“So they haven’t found out anything else? Like possible suspects or possible whereabouts of where she is being kept?” Olivia asks her parents.

“So far, they only have Travis Reynolds. But at least that’s something right? Don’t worry, honey. I’m sure the police will have some hard evidence soon,” Mrs. Bennett says.

“Why hasn’t any of this been in the news? You’d think the news casters would be all over it,” I ask.

“I think they want to get some proof before they tell the world what they have found,” Mrs. Bennett replies.

“Or it’s just because Waupun sucks and they don’t want to try to ruin a reputation of the city which wasn’t that high in the first place,” Olivia snaps back.

“Olivia, it’s not that. They just don’t want everyone to worry about something until they can give them definite answers,” Mr. Bennett says, “Now, stop worrying. You’ll hear of something soon.”

Olivia and I relocate to her bedroom to watch The Godfather. Her parents are going out with some friends for dinner and have already left. She was chilling on her bed and I was at her desk, when I looked out the window and saw an envelope stuck to it.

“Hey, Liv, how long has that been there?”

“How long has what been where?”

“That envelope in your window, was it there when we came up here?”

“I’m not sure.” She rolls off her bed and opens the window to grab the envelope. Written on it, in black sharpie, was her name. She opens it and pulls out a scrap of paper. Written in the same black sharpie as the front, and in all caps, were the words: She’s Alive.

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drinks, thinking they are the bomb. It’s a place where elders get together with their friends every morning for their cup of coffee and chat for hours on end. It’s a place where kids get their ice cream treats in the sticky summer months and hot chocolate in the frigid winter season after an evening of sledding. It’s a place where people buy chocolate for their honeys around the holidays and for their fathers for Father’s day. A coffeehouse is a place for all.

The small town of Waupun, Wisconsin doesn’t have a lot to offer its teenagers. In order for them to do anything remotely fun they have to go to their neighboring cities, Beaver Dam and Fond du Lac, and even then there isn’t much for them to do. The one good thing Waupun has to offer is End of the Trail. This place brings

happiness and joy to all who enter it. Well, I may be a little partial to it just because I’m a coffee addict. I live and breathe the stuff.  I can’t function throughout the day without having coffee to get me to the end of it. The people who work here know my name and my order when they see me walk through the door. An iced white chocolate mocha. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. They finish making my drink and I go to sit down in the corner table of the shop to wait for my friends to show.

They are always running late. Olivia has to pick Cole up because his parents have the car for the day and Cole usually takes his time picking out his outfit. He has to be fashionable at every moment of the day. Even on days like today, when he is just meeting us for coffee, he still has to look his best. And if he happens to figure out his outfit on time, it’s Olivia who is behind schedule. She believes that by being late to everything, it will make you take those opportunities you wouldn’t have had if you were one minute earlier.

But, that’s okay with me. I like sitting by myself, listening to my music, and people watching. It’s my happy place. After five minutes, and in the middle of Ships in the Night by Mat Kearney, Olivia walks in with cheeks rosy from the winter chill, and her long ginger hair is hanging down under her white knit hat and over her navy blue pea coat. She’s wearing her favorite comfy outfit: a flannel with dark blue jeans and boots. Cole walks in right behind her sporting a grey sweater with a blue plaid button down underneath it, so you can just see the collar of it, with blue jeans and converses. His ensemble goes perfectly with his light brown hair that is swooped up to give him the typical white guy haircut.

They find me at our usual corner table, put their stuff down, and they go to the counter to order. In a couple of minutes they return, with drinks in hand, discussing a book they are reading for AP English. Cole is the only one of us who likes coffee black. He says it makes him more of a man, even though he is far from it. Olivia can’t stand the taste of coffee and always gets a hot chocolate, even in summer.

“Nathan Price just needs to stop. He is getting in the way of everyone living in the Congo,” Olivia says.

“Like I get the whole trying to feel better about being the only survivor and all, but dragging your whole family there and wanting to arrange a marriage for one of your daughters to the head of the village just to gain peace is a bit ridiculous. And while they are all suffering, Nathan just turns his back. He can’t get his mind out of the bubble that he has created and I hate it,” Cole replies.

“What book is this?” I interject.

“The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver,” Olivia answers.

“It’s an awful book. Truly horrendous,” Cole adds, just as my phone lights up with a message, “Ooo, is that your boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I blush.

“Oh, come on! You guys have been talking for months! You’re practically dating!” Olivia exclaims.

“We are not dating.” They both give me a look that tells me otherwise, but I ignore them like I always do.

“Aren’t you going to answer him?”

“No, he can wait.”

“OMG. You guys! Guess who’s pregnant this year?” Cole interrupts.

“Who?” Olivia and I say in unison.

“That junior, Madi Holden, and the baby daddy isn’t her boyfriend! It’s her boyfriend’s best friend!”

“Yes! It’s about time she got a wakeup call!” I say.

“Let’s hope this will teach her not to fool around with every guy in the entire school behind her boyfriend’s back,” Olivia says.

“How did he honestly not know that she was messing around behind his back?” I ask.

“Uh, because he was screwing every girl in the school, too,” Cole chuckles.

“Wow, are they perfect for each other or what?” Olivia laughs.

Just then a man walks into End of the Trail.  I recognize him from work. He usually comes into Hellen’s Kitchen on Thursday evenings and sits by himself. Even

though he harasses the waitresses, including me, while he ponders what to order, he usually gets the same thing: a cheeseburger without lettuce, fries and a chocolate shake. At work, we refer to this guy as Creepy Paul. He is of average height, short brown hair with a mustache and glasses, and he has a beer belly. For a small town, this guy is hard to avoid. He remembers my name and always asks my boss where I am when I’m not working. I’ve even seen him around the high school a couple of times too. He is the definition of creepy.

Cole and Olivia notice him too and we all fall quiet. We try to carry on a normal conversation for another half hour, but I notice Creepy Paul watching us the entire time. Eventually, we decided to leave and head to Cole’s house to hang out.

They leave before me, taking Main Street to Highway 49 to get to the small town of Alto where Cole lives. I had to quickly look at the message I received from Travis, the guy I’ve been talking to, before I met up with them again, and then I plugged my phone into my aux cord and continued playing Ships in the Night.

I wish I would’ve known that was the last time I would hear that song. And drink my favorite coffee beverage. And gossip about the people in my school. And see my friends again.

I wish I would have known that this was my last day here.

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In this classic B1G West battle, defense was the focal point for both teams, and the ever-present physicality of the rivalry was on display as the offenses struggled to put up points.

The Hawkeyes had to deal with #10 Wisconsin’s running back Corey Clements, who led all rushers with a career-high 35 rushes for 134 yards and a touchdown. For the most part, the Hawkeyes held Clements in check, as he only averaged 4.8 yards per carry, but he slowly tacked on yards as the game progressed.

On the flip side, Iowa’s rushing attack struggled to get going yet again as Akrum Wadley and LeShun Daniels, Jr. combined to put up just 83 yards on the ground.

“They did an excellent job of getting off blocks and getting to the ball carrier,” said Daniels, Jr. said of the Wisconsin defense. “They had a good game plan and they came out and stopped us.”

The Badger defense held the Hawkeyes to just 236 total yards of offense, which is Iowa’s second-lowest outcome of the season (231 yards in the loss to North Dakota State). Iowa went just 2-for-13 on third-down conversions, and Wisconsin opponents are just 22-for-89 in that category on the season. The Badgers rank sixth in the FBS on third-down defense.

Perhaps the most lopsided statistic of the day was the time of possession battle. Wisconsin had the ball for nearly 14 more minutes than the Hawkeyes, which allowed them to run 13 more offensive plays than Iowa.

“You can’t score points if you’re not on the field,” said Daniels, Jr.

The Iowa receiving core struggled yet again to find a groove as they try to fill holes and get accustomed to new situations. Only one wide receiver had more than one catch, and that was senior Riley McCarron who had six grabs for 47 yards.

“It’s just us growing a little bit more, maybe getting our timing down a little bit better,” said head coach Kirk Ferentz on the Iowa passing game.

Iowa’s leading receiver was Akrum Wadley, who seemed to be everywhere at once when he was on the field. Wadley had 7 catches for 72 yards on the day, both career highs, and he led the team in both rushing and receiving for the first time in his career (44 yards rushing).

In the low scoring affair, it became a waiting game to see which team would come up with a big play to swing momentum, but that play never did come. For Iowa, it was frustrating to be knocking on the door without ever being able to get through it.

“Some plays we left out there today certainly didn’t help our cause or momentum in the game,” said Ferentz. “Certainly the opposition had something to do with that.”

Although the results came up short, Ferentz was happy with his team’s toughness in a game they knew would be physical, as is traditionally the case when these teams meet.

“All in all, I think our effort and our toughness was good,” said Ferentz. “Thought our guys competed really hard.”

The team heads into the bye week at a very opportune time. Some key players, including Boone Myers, George Kittle and Cole Croston, have been battling injuries, and they will have a chance to rest up and try to get healthy before Iowa’s next game in two weeks.

“We’ve got to get those guys to where they can come down the stretch for the last month,” said Ferentz.

#10 Wisconsin moves to 5-2 (2-2 B1G) and will play host to the Big Ten West leading Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. Iowa falls to 5-3 (3-2 B1G) and will travel to State College, PA on November 5^th to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

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