By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Monday brought the first NET rankings of the 2025-26 season and good news for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Iowa and Iowa State. Both schools were in the top 20 in both sports in the … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: The First Look At The NET
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — That 7-0 record that Iowa’s women’s basketball team has is nice. That No. 11 national ranking is a gaudy number. But the Hawkeyes, dealing with injuries and trying to figure out where all … Continue reading IOWA 86, WIU 69: Hawkeyes Muddle Through To Stay Undefeated
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — It was an opportunity, Mia Nicastro said, to be on a big stage. Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team lost 86-69 to 11th-ranked Iowa on Wednesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, but Nicastro said it … Continue reading Leathernecks Appreciate Opportunity To Be On Big Stage At Iowa
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Chad Boudreau is searching for answers on how he can fix his team. It was something he was still thinking about after Western Illinois’ 84-64 loss to Coastal Carolina on Friday night at Western Hall. The Leathernecks (1-5) allowed a 26-6 run to start the second half that took away whatever hopes they had in the first game of an early-season multi-team event that includes a Sunday game against North Dakota. This was a weekend Boudreau, the Leathernecks’ head coach, thought would be a good indication of what his team could do in Ohio … Continue reading COASTAL CAROLINA 84, WIU 64: Leathernecks Left Searching For Answers
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Addi Brownfield’s banked 3-pointer barely beat the buzzer ending the third quarter, and the first thing Brownfield did was run to hug teammate Allie Meadows, who had passed her the ball. Then she jumped around looking for someone else to hug, and there were plenty of takers in the celebration. “Yeah, I probably could have played it a little cooler there,” the Western Illinois guard said, laughing. It was a shot worth celebrating on a night when the Leathernecks kept their cool and pulled out a big early-season win. Western Illinois rallied from an … Continue reading WIU 84, BRADLEY 77: Leathernecks Keep Their Cool, Stay Undefeated
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — Brendan Hausen is one of the last players off the bench in Iowa’s first-half rotation and is averaging just 13.4 minutes per game since transferring to play for the Hawkeyes. And he says … Continue reading IOWA 99, SEMO 70: Hawkeyes Making Good Use Of Their Minutes
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Mia Nicastro came into Monday’s game as one of the top scorers in NCAA Division I play. And then she went out and posted a double-double in Western Illinois’ 86-75 win over Chicago State at Western Hall. Nicastro, who came into the game ranked tied for sixth nationally in scoring, had a 31-point, 16-rebound night, her second double-double in three games this season. “I think it’s just not forcing things and taking what the defense gives me,” said Nicastro, a senior forward who is averaging 26.7 points and 11.7 rebounds to start the season. … Continue reading WIU 86, CHICAGO STATE 75: Nicastro’s Hot Start Continues As Leathernecks Hold On For Win
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Chad Boudreau was more unhappy with how Western Illinois’ men’s basketball team reacted after its first win of the season than he was with his team’s struggles in getting the victory. The 74-63 win over Coe College on Monday night at Western Hall was a lot more difficult than the Leathernecks’ coach wanted, but it was still a win that was needed after an 0-4 road start to the season. “It’s good after that trip to come back and get this game out of the way,” Boudreau said. “And I don’t know that this … Continue reading WIU 74, COE 63: A Lesson In Execution For The Leathernecks
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Ben McCollum doesn’t have a set philosophy on how he uses his timeouts, or whether a player sits for the rest of the first half after picking up two fouls. Iowa fans have learned a lot about … Continue reading McCollum Coaches By Feel When It Comes To Timeouts, Foul Trouble
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP It’s as much what is going on off the court as it is on the court for the Iowa men’s basketball team, and it had to be that way. Three games at home — all wins — … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: For McCollum, The ‘Long Game’ Is Just Starting
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