By JOHN BOHNENKAMP There were going to be nicks and gashes in Ben McCollum’s first season as Iowa’s men’s basketball coach — the losses you endure, the losses you lament. “Scars” are what McCollum called them after Saturday’s 78-57 loss … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: ‘Scars’ Are Just Part Of What Hawkeyes Are Trying To Build
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — Ben McCollum and his players knew an opportunity was missed. The setup was perfect on Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena — a sellout crowd for the first time this season, a nationally-ranked opponent in … Continue reading PURDUE 78, IOWA 57: An Opportunity Lost For Hawkeyes
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — It was a defeat that felt oh-so-familiar. Western Illinois’ 77-58 men’s basketball loss to Little Rock on Thursday night at Western Hall was the 22nd defeat of the season, and it featured so much … Continue reading LITTLE ROCK 77, WIU 58: A Defeat That Felt Like The Others
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Mia Nicastro wasn’t happy. Western Illinois had let a 13-point lead turn into a two-point deficit at the end of the third quarter in Thursday’s game against Little Rock at Western Hall and Nicastro, … Continue reading WIU 84, LITTLE ROCK 73: Nicastro’s Fourth-Quarter Fury Keeps Leathernecks Rolling
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — The third game in a four-games-in-eight-days stretch for the Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team was never close, and the Leathernecks didn’t seem to mind. Their 93-49 win over Eastern Illinois on Tuesday at Western … Continue reading WIU 93, EASTERN ILLINOIS 49: Leathernecks Get An Easy One And Extend Their OVC Lead
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Francis Okwuosah’s 3-pointer snapped the net and released the frustration that had built for two months and had consumed Western Illinois’ men’s basketball team. Four minutes and 26 seconds remained in Tuesday’s game against … Continue reading WIU 79, EASTERN ILLINOIS 70: A Night When The Streak Ended, And The Ax Stayed
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — Tavion Banks has seen the Bennett Stirtz show before — first at Drake, now at Iowa — so when Stirtz was having one of those days on Sunday against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, … Continue reading IOWA 76, NORTHWESTERN 70: Stirtz Does His Thing, And The Hawkeyes’ Streak Hits Six
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP IOWA CITY, Iowa — Jan Jensen doesn’t want to wait to play again. A three-game losing streak is gnawing at the Iowa women’s basketball coach, and she wants her players to feel a little bit of the … Continue reading MINNESOTA 91, IOWA 85: Losing Streak Makes The Clock Tick Louder
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Raegan McCowan was passing the ball during Western Illinois’ warmups before Thursday’s game with Southeast Missouri State when teammate Addi Brownfield walked by her and playfully slapped her left arm. Then Brownfield realized what she had done. … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: WIU’s McCowan Watches While Waiting For Elbow To Heal
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois is alone at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball standings, which is why coach JD Gravina challenged his team before Saturday’s game against UT-Martin at Western Hall. The 80-54 … Continue reading WIU 80, UT-MARTIN 54: A ‘Championship Level’ Game For The Leathernecks
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