College Sports Briefs
No. 1 Cyclone fall
AMES (AP) — Iowa took six matches and upset top-ranked Iowa State 20-13 on Sunday, picking up its third straight dual-meet win over the rival Cyclones.
The Hawkeyes (5-0) jumped out to an early 13-point lead and held on to improve to 55-16-2 against Iowa State. The loss likely means that Iowa State (6-1), which earned the top spot in the Intermat/National Wrestling Coaches Association ranking with a win over then-No. 1 Minnesota last weekend, will drop in the polls.
Iowa State’s Jake Varner, the nation’s top-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds, beat Phillip Keddy 4-1 to bring the Cyclones within 17-9 with two matches left. But Varner represented one of Iowa State’s best chance for a pin — and six valuable points. David Bertolino dominated Iowa’s Chad Beatty in the next match, but he couldn’t get the pin either. Bertolino’s 16-5 major decision brought Iowa State within 17-13 with only the heavyweights remaining.
The Cyclones needed a pin from heavyweight Matt Fields to get the win. He and Iowa’s David Zabriskie went scoreless in the first period, but Zabriskie notched a takedown with two seconds left to seal a 6-3 decision and the victory for the Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes got off to a quick start, winning their first four matches to jump ahead 13-0. But Iowa State rallied to make it a contest after intermission.
Iowa State picked up some momentum when coach Cael Sanderson’s brother Cyler — who was wrestling with a broken nose — took down Ryan Morningstar 10-5. Sanderson fell behind early before tossing Morningstar on his back. He then picked up three near-fall points at the end of the final period.
But by staying out of the pin, Morningstar saved Iowa three points. The Hawkeyes led 13-3 at intermission.
Iowa State 165-pounder Jon Reader brought the Cyclones within 13-6 with a 7-3 decision over Jake Kerr. Iowa was without its star 165-pounder, Mark Perry, who was serving a one-game suspension after being disqualified for misconduct against Old Dominion on Nov. 24. Iowa’s Jay Borschel then easily defeated Aron Scott at 174 pounds. Scott, who battled through after twisting his right knee halfway through the match, lost 18-7.
Iowa’s Charlie Falck, ranked 5th in the nation at 125 pounds, held off a spirited effort by redshirt freshman Mark Kist to win 8-4 in the opening match. The Hawkeyes made it 6-0 when Joe Slaton picked up a riding time point in the final moments to upset previously-unbeaten Nick Fanthorpe, 6-5, in the 133-pound match.
Dan LeClere then picked up a 3-1 decision over Iowa State’s Nick Gallick. Brent Metcalf, one of Iowa’s top wrestlers, scored a 14-4 major decision over Mitch Mueller at 149 pounds.
Nearly 9,000 fans braved slick roads to pack Hilton Coliseum, which was reconfigured to provide a more intimate setting. The sellout crowd was the biggest for a wrestling meet in Ames since 2001.
Cyclone men win
AMES (AP) — Jiri Hubalek scored 15 points, Rahshon Clark added 14 and Iowa State beat rival Iowa 56-47 Saturday, snapping a a five-game losing streak against instate opponents.
Iowa State (4-4) bounced back from a 35-point drubbing to Drake last Wednesday with an inspired defensive effort, holding Iowa (6-5) below 50 points for just the second time this season.
Iowa junior guard Tony Freeman, who scored 15 points in his season debut Wednesday against Northern Iowa, sat out with a sore foot. Freeman missed the first nine games with the injury, and Iowa missed his offense. The Hawkeyes shot just 32 percent from the floor.
Iowa, which trailed the entire second half, crept within 10 on a 3 from Justin Johnson with 4:15 left. But Hubalek followed a Clark 3 with a dunk to put Iowa State ahead 53-40 with 1:38 left.
Iowa State threatening to blow the game open early in the second half, but Iowa stayed within 33-28 on two 3’s from Justin Johnson. The Hawkeyes then went cold offensively, and the Cyclones used the free-throw line to built a 14-point lead.
Two Clark free throws put the Cyclones up 39-30 with 10:25 left, and Iowa State stretched its lead to 46-32 on a pair from the line by Hubalek with 7:06 left.
The Cyclones actually shot worse than the Hawkeyes from the floor, but they hit 20 free throws to Iowa’s 5.
Iowa State held a 26-22 lead after a first half in which nothing seemed to fall for either team. Iowa was 9-of-31 from the floor in the opening half, but Iowa State was just 8-of-28. The Cyclones finished 16-of-51 from the field.
Freshman Jarryd Cole had 15 points and nine rebounds to lead Iowa, and Jake Kelly added 14 points. Johnson and Jeff Peterson combined to shoot just 5-of-25 for the Hawkeyes.
The Cyclones did their best to needle their instate rivals at the break, playing clips of the Iowa State’s 15-13 win over the Hawkeyes in football in September.
Iowa State coach Gene Chizik provided the capper by raising the Cy-Hawk trophy up to the crowd.
ISU women win
DES MOINES (AP) — Nicky Wieben scored 16 points and Amanda Nisleit added 11 to lead Iowa State to a 58-51 win over Drake on Sunday.
Iowa State (6-1) got out to a sluggish start, falling behind 8-0 after going 0-for-7 from the floor to start the game.
The Cyclones were outrebounded 7-3 and had three turnovers in the first seven minutes. But the Cyclones then went on an 11-8 run to take their first lead, sparked by a Wieben basket and a 3-pointer by Kelsey Bolte.
Bolte, a freshman, finished her first career start with 10 points.
Drake (5-4) was led by Jordann Plummer, who finished with 17 points.
Iowa State led 27-21 at the break, but went 1-for-6 from the field to start the second half.
The Bulldogs took their first lead, 42-41, when Lindsay Whorton knocked down one of three free-throws after the Cyclones were called for a foul.
The Cyclones retook the lead, 46-42, on a layup by Denae Stuckey and a 3-pointer by Alison Lacey with 3:20 remaining. Drake’s Lindsay Whorton hit a 3-pointer, closing the gap back to one.
The Cyclones’ Amanda Nisleit answered with another 3-pointer. Iowa State got the defensive rebound, Nisleit took the ball to the basket for a layup and a conventional 3-point play to give Iowa State 52-45 lead with 1:11 left.
Plummer hit another 3-pointer for Drake. The Cyclones hung on by hitting free throws to win 58-51.
Drake now 8-1
DES MOINES (AP) — Brent Heemskerk scored 18 points to lead Drake to an 83-55 victory over Texas-Pan American on Saturday in the final game of the Drake Regency Classic.
Jonathan Cox, who finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds, scored eight of Drake’s 16 points during a 16-6 run to start the second half. Josh Young added 14 points for the Bulldogs (8-1).
Brian Burrell led the Broncs (6-5) with 21 points. Zach Trader added 12.
The Bulldogs built a 23-13 lead with 7:57 left in the first half and finished the half ahead 42-31. Heemskerk scored two straight layups during the run.
