By John Bohnenkamp Lisa Bluder said there are “some really good things” about the NCAA women’s basketball tournament setup in San Antonio. But the Iowa coach knows that the disparities between what has been made available to the women’s teams … Continue reading Bluder: Players, Coaches Should Speak Out About Disparities In Tournament Setup

By John Bohnenkamp The reminder, Drake coach Darian DeVries said, was to tell his players that they have been here before. Here, of course, wasn’t the NCAA tournament — the Bulldogs hadn’t been in the bracket since 2008. No, it … Continue reading Drake Scrambles, And Advances, With Win Over Wichita State

By John Bohnenkamp The seed, Fran McCaffery said, didn’t matter. Iowa is a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, matching the program’s highest seed from the 1987 tournament. So, McCaffery was asked on Sunday night, when the 68-team bracket was … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: Hawkeyes Ready For Whatever It Takes

By John Bohnenkamp Lisa Bluder knows what happens when Gabbie Marshall gets open looks at the basket. Money, the Iowa coach said. Bankers Life Fieldhouse was, well, a bank for Marshall, full of 3-point cash in Iowa’s 73-62 win over … Continue reading Cash It In: Marshall Leads Iowa Into Semifinals

By John Bohnenkamp It wasn’t destiny that derailed Western Illinois in the Summit League tournament semifinals, it was the shots that wouldn’t fall. The Leathernecks’ 69-55 loss to Omaha on Monday afternoon at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., … Continue reading Leathernecks’ Season Ends In Semifinals

By John Bohnenkamp Iowa’s men’s basketball team tightened the circle in October. Before the Hawkeyes started practice, they met with one goal in mind — get through the season. College basketball seasons are long enough, with plenty of unpredictability. But … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: A Season Of Isolation Provided Mental Challenges

By John Bohnenkamp His team, with an almost entirely new roster, never got an offseason education. Rob Jeter’s first season as Western Illinois’ men’s basketball coach came during the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant a team full of new players had … Continue reading Leathernecks Head Into Offseason Looking For An Edge

By John Bohnenkamp Roman Penn and ShanQuan Hemphill are hurt, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still a presence for the Drake basketball team. Joseph Yesufu hears them. Penn is out for the rest of the season with a left … Continue reading Yesufu’s Basket Keeps Drake Going

By John Bohnenkamp There is an artistry, and certainly annoyance for opposing teams, at the way Grace Gilmore draws offensive fouls. It is not an official NCAA statistic, but Western Illinois coach JD Gravina figures Gilmore, a senior guard, leads … Continue reading WIU’s Gilmore Has The Appetite For Taking Charges

By John Bohnenkamp Iowa carries a four-game winning streak into Thursday’s game at Michigan, a run that has been led by a marked improvement in the Hawkeyes’ defense. But coach Fran McCaffery said there is more to what the Hawkeyes … Continue reading Iowa’s Defense And Rebounding Have Sparked Winning Streak