Iowa
Several players contribute for No. 10 Iowa State in 77-65 road win at UCF
Feb 11, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Central Florida Knights guard Mikey Williams (1) defends Iowa State Cyclones guard Keshon Gilbert (10) at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
Iowa State’s Curtis Jones and Milan Momcilovic shined early, then went into the deep freeze Tuesday at UCF.
A recipe for a tense game?
Nope — and that’s because everyone in the No. 10 Cyclones’ rotation made major contributions in an eventual 77-65 win in Orlando.
Seven players for ISU (19-5, 9-4) scored between eight and 15 points to send the slumping Knights (13-11, 4-9) to their fifth straight loss.
“We did a lot of winning things,” head coach T.J. Otzelberger said on the Cyclone Radio Network after the game. “I felt like offensively we really had great intent to make the right play. It wasn’t a great shooting night for us by any stretch, but I felt like our guys were taking the right shots.”
Keshon Gilbert led the Cyclones with 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Joshua Jefferson narrowly missed his 10th double-double of the season with 13 points and eight rebounds. Tamin Lipsey added 11 points and Jones totaled 10 to help complete the regular-season sweep of UCF.
“We just need to continue to make the right plays for our teammates,” Otzelberger said. “I felt like we focused on doing that, and then the free-throw line was big for us late.”
ISU made 15 of its 17 free-throw attempts in the second half — and drained 10 in a row as the Knights tried to rally behind full-court pressure and fouls to extend the game. Cyclone reserves Nate Heise and Brandton Chatfield contributed their best offensive performances in several games, combining for 17 points and eight rebounds to help their team win its second game in a row. Heise had scored a total of seven points in his previous five games.
“He’s brought a lot to the table even though you watch the offense and you say the shots not falling or he doesn’t look aggressive,” Otzelberger said. “We’ve continued to be demanding of it and as aggressive as he’s been defensively, he was shot-ready offensively — and that’s what Nate Heise’s here to do.”
Chatfield had scored a total of eight points in his previous seven games and collected just three rebounds in his most recent three games.
“I’m his roommate and I spend a lot of time with him,” Heise said. “It’s always great to see him do well because he’s the ultimate team guy.”
ISU looked good early, as well, starting 4-for-8 from 3-point range and racing to an early 18-9 lead before UCF made a run. The Knights scored 16 of the game’s next 20 points to take a 25-22 lead with 4:51 left in the first half. The Cyclones responded with a late 7-0 run fueled by two baskets by Gilbert and held a narrow 32-30 edge at the break.
Jones scored all of his 10 points in the first half, and shot just 2-for-9 from beyond the arc. Jefferson added six points before the break and Gilbert had five for the Cyclones, who totaled 10 assists on 13 first-half field goals but shot just 1-for-4 from the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes.
The Cyclones return to action Saturday against Cincinnati (15-9, 5-8), which has won three games in a row. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
“We know we’re gonna have a great crowd,” Otzelberger said. “There’s gonna be great energy in Hilton on Saturday. We’ll be excited to be at our best in a great environment.”
Audi Crook on her mindset for senior year and the 2027 WNBA Draft class
USAT’s Sam Cardona-Norberg catches with with college basketball star Audi Crooks and where her mind is at as she prepares for her last season.
Sports Seriously
The Iowa State women’s basketball roster looks a whole lot different than it did two months ago.
Since the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, nine players have decided to leave Ames and transfer to a new school. That included some of the Cyclones’ biggest stars like Audi Crooks, Addy Brown and Jada Williams.
As of April 23, all nine of the former Cyclones have found new homes. Scroll below to see where each of them will play during the 2026-27 season.
Where did Audi Crooks transfer?
The rising senior All-American has announced her transfer to Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.
Where did Addy Brown transfer to?
Brown, who averaged 11.9 points and 8.8 boards per game, announced Thursday that she will be transferring to national title winners UCLA.
Where did Jada Williams transfer to?
After one season in Ames, Williams announced that she is transferring to LSU.
Where did Kenzie Hare transfer to?
Hare will play for Indiana next season, she announced.
Where did Alisa Williams transfer to?
Williams will join Hare in Bloomington, having signed with the Hoosiers.
Where did Reese Beaty transfer to?
Beaty, a Tennessee native, returns to SEC country after having signed with Mississippi State.
Where did Lilly Taulelei transfer to?
The New Zealand native will play her final season of college basketball at Rice.
Where did Reagan Wilson transfer to?
The rising junior guard will head to the MAC and play for Toledo next season.
Where did Aili Tanke transfer to?
The former Johnston High School star will continue her college career out west, committing to Nevada.
Police are seeking a 17-year-old on attempted murder charges following a shooting early Sunday in a nightlife district near the University of Iowa campus, authorities said Wednesday.
Five people were treated for gunshot wounds, including three University of Iowa students. One woman remained in critical condition Wednesday after sustaining a life-threatening injury to her head, Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said.
Officials said an arrest warrant was issued for the 17-year-old who was allegedly engaged in the fight, adding that reports indicate as many as 40 people may have been involved. Officers had been dispatched to the fight and arrived within 45 seconds, Liston said.
After walking away from the other participants, the suspect allegedly fired six times into the crowded pedestrian area, Liston said. Iowa City’s downtown pedestrian mall is lined with shops, bars and restaurants.
The minor from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will initially be charged as an adult, as is required by Iowa law for forcible felony charges against an individual aged 16 or older, said Rachel Zimmermann Smith, Johnson County attorney.
The charges, which include five counts of attempted murder, will be brought when the suspect is apprehended, she said.
Liston said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected. About three dozen search warrants have already been executed.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to hold those responsible fully accountable,” he said, adding that anyone with information on the incident or the suspect are encouraged to come forward.
The five victims were not “targets of the shooting,” Liston said. “We have no reason to believe they were otherwise affiliated with the fight that preceded the shooting.”
Liston also provided details about the other four victims’ injuries, including one struck in the arm and chest, two struck in one or both legs and one in the side of their stomach. One is still hospitalized in stable condition and three have been released, he said.
CHATHAM, Ill. (KCRG) – The families of four children and a teenager killed after a vehicle crashed into an Illinois after-school camp have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, just short of a year after the tragic accident.
The teenager killed, 18-year-old camp counselor Rylee Britton, of Springfield, planned to attend the University of Iowa and would have been finishing her freshman year.
The April 28 accident at YNOT Camp also claimed the lives of 7-year-olds Kathryn Corley and Alma Buhnerkempe, and 8-year-olds Bradley James Lund and Ainsley Johnson. Lund spent five weeks in the hospital before succumbing to his injuries.
At least six other children were severely injured, and numerous children witnessed the accident.
The crash happened after Marianne Akers, 44, veered off of a county highway, traveled through a cornfield and drove straight through the building. Akers was not charged after an investigation found that she was having a medical episode during the crash, and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The lawsuit, filed Sunday, names YNOT Camp, as well as Akers, responsible for their deaths. They claim the building violated multiple safety codes when it was built and was not suitable to protect its occupants.
Legal representatives are holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the lawsuit.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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