Iowa
Preview: Wisconsin Restarts Big Ten Play Hosting Iowa
Preview: Wisconsin Restarts Big Ten Play Hosting Iowa
Iowa (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. Wisconsin (10-3, 0-2 Big Ten)
Date/Time – Friday, January 3, 6 p.m.
Arena – Kohl Center (16,838)
Watch – FS1 (Connor Onion and LaPhonso Ellis)
Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch), Sirius 106 or 195, stream online on iHeartRadio.
Series – Wisconsin leads 89-86 (Wisconsin leads 56-30 in Madison)
Last Meeting – Iowa won, 88-86, in overtime on February 17, 2024, in Iowa City
Follow Online: The Badgers’ Den
Twitter: @Badger_Blitz
Betting line: Wisconsin -5.5
Projected Starting Five (Wisconsin)
Player to Watch: Despite struggling offensively, shooting a career-worst 32.5 percent from the floor, Klesmit leads Wisconsin with 38 assists and has a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, the second-best mark on the team.
Projected Starting Five (Iowa)
Player to watch: Dix is averaging 15 points and 4.6 rebounds, shooting 56.6 percent from the field (43-of-76) with 13 3-point field goals over his last seven games. Dix scored 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting in last February’s win over Wisconsin.
Series Notes
Wisconsin had its four-game winning streak in the series snapped in last February’s overtime loss in Iowa City.
The Badgers have won the last three meetings in Madison. The Hawkeyes have won three games in Madison during the McCaffery era (2011-12, 2016-17, 2020-21).
Crowl scored 22 points in the last meeting against Iowa, registering career-bests in field goals (13) and field goal attempts (15). In five career games against Iowa, the senior averages 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, all while shooting 64.3% from the field.
Wisconsin Notes
The Badgers finished the nonconference schedule 10-1, losing only at No.5 Marquette. The 10 wins were the most for Wisconsin out of conference since going 11-2 in 2016-17. UW beat four Power-Five conference teams in the nonconference (Arizona, Butler, Pittsburgh, and UCF), its most since 2018-19.
Wisconsin leads the NCAA in free-throw shooting at 85.1 percent, well ahead of the Big Ten record of 81.8 percent that Wisconsin set in 2010-11.
The Badgers are averaging 15.0 assists per game, their most since 1993-94. With UW ranking 18th nationally in turnovers (9.6), the program has never had a season averaging over 15 assists with fewer than 10 turnovers per game.
UW is taking 27 three-point shots per game and making 8.8 three-pointers per game, the most in both categories for the Badgers since the inception of the three-point line in 1986-87.
With a career record of 104-72, Greg Gard is one of 23 Big Ten coaches to register 100 conference wins. He’s the sixth-fastest Big Ten coach to 100 wins in the last 50 years. Gard’s overall record is 196-110 (.641).
Iowa Notes
Friday’s game at Wisconsin is just Iowa’s second true road game of the season. The Hawkeyes had a look at the buzzer in an 85-83 loss at Michigan on Dec. 7. Iowa is 2-1 in three neutral site games this season.
The Hawkeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in three straight contests and in seven games this season. Iowa shot a season-high 62.7 percent in its victory over New Orleans. Iowa is unbeaten this season when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 12 games, including 10+ in seven contests. Iowa made 18 in the win over Southern — the most since 2022 — and 14 against New Orleans. Iowa is second in the Big Ten (23rd nationally), averaging 10.5 per game.
Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (20.2, second in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98, fourth in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in six games.
Iowa has held 11 of its 13 opponents under 50 percent shooting (and two under 40 percent), has forced at least 18 turnovers in six games, and has held four opponents under 70 points.
Prediction
Wisconsin’s home game against Iowa tonight might be the hottest ticket in town for those wanting to see offensive fireworks.
The Badgers and Hawkeyes are both inside the top 20 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings and ranked outside the top 75 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Iowa ranks second nationally in scoring (89.7) while KenPom has them ranked in the top 30 in effective field goals percentage (59.0%), offensive turnover percentage (13.6%), 2-point percentage (60.2%) and 3-point percentage (38.3%). A lot of the offense stems from transition offense, another stat where the Hawkeyes are among the national leaders (Iowa’s 17.54 fast-break points per game has them ranked ninth).
Wisconsin’s transition defense has been hit-and-miss. The Badgers allowed double-digit fast-break points to Michigan (19), Arizona (12), and Butler (12) but held Marquette (6) and Illinois (4) in check.
Last February at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa converted 52.6 percent of its shots, including 26 of 43 inside the arc (60.5 percent) and 24 of 30 (80 percent) from the line.
“Having a first game back that requires (us to be good with transition defense) is a challenge,” Gard said.
There are multiple pieces that make Iowa work. Dix is producing in his starting role by shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and Harding used his experience of backing up Tony Freeman last season to pressure defenses by making smart decisions with Iowa’s transition offense (76 assists, 29 turnovers).
The Hawkeyes are still empowered by Freeman, who leads them in scoring (17.1), rebounds (6.5) and blocks (22). He is the only Hawkeye to reach double figures in every game he has played. McCaffery said Freeman will play tonight after missing Monday’s game against New Hampshire with an ankle injury. The Hawkeyes didn’t appear to miss him, as their 45 field goals against UNH were the most under McCaffery.
“Owen is a great player for them with shooters all around him,” Crowl said. “They play really fast. They play hard. They switch things up on defense … He’s a great player. He runs the floor hard, which makes us as bigs have to run, too. They utilize him in a great way. He’s grown immensely from last year to this year.”
Wisconsin ranks among the bottom four of the Big Ten in field goal percentage (44.9) and 3-point percentage (32.5) but the Badgers have made it work by limiting turnovers and being proficient at the line, especially at home (86.9). If UW can continue tightening its defense, the Badgers should get a needed conference win tonight.
Worgull’s Prediction: Wisconsin by nine
Record: 10-3 (9-4 ATS)
Points off Prediction: 104 (8.0 per game)
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Iowa
Iowa State picks up commitment from Arkansas State QB Jaylen Raynor
Iowa State football has picked up a commitment from Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Jan. 3.
Raynor has one season of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot, 202-pounder from Kernersville, North Carolina, passed for 3,361 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. He was intercepted 11 times.
Raynor also rushed for 423 yards and seven touchdowns.
He passed for 8,694 yards and 52 touchdowns in three seasons at Arkansas State.
“The (Iowa State) coaching staff is known for winning,” Raynor told Thamel. “The head coach is a known winner and done it on multiple levels.”
Raynor will join Arkansas State offensive coordinator Keith Heckendorf in Ames. Heckendorf was named Cyclones quarterbacks coach this week.
Raynor completed 19 of 33 passes for 222 yards in a 24-16 loss to Iowa State on Sept. 13, 2025.
Iowa
Seven Iowa High School Wrestlers Off To Dominant Starts This Season – FloWrestling
The first month of the Iowa high school wrestling season has been filled with scintillating individual performances. Here’s a look at seven standouts who have been racking up bonus points in December.
Drew Anderson (Riverside)
The Class 1A state runner-up last year at 132 is up to 144 this season and he’s 14-0 with 11 technical falls, a pair of pins and a forfeit win. Anderson, a junior in his second season at the school, already owns the Riverside school record for technical falls with 28. Anderson is on pace to more than double the previous Riverside tech record of 23.
Urijah Courter (West Marshall)
Courter won the 2A title last season at 113 after placing third as a freshman at 106. He’s up to 120 this season. Courter is 14-0 this season with 10 pins and two technical falls. His ledger also includes a 6-5 win against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s Simon Bettis in a rematch of last season’s state title bout.
Cooper Hinz (Jesup)
Entering the holiday break, Michigan commit and two-time state medalist Cooper Hinz is 22-0 with 21 wins via pin, technical fall or forfeit. His other victory was a 4-1 overtime decision against returning state placewinner Cain Rodgers of North Fayette Valley. More impressively, all of Hinz’s pins and technical falls have all come in the first period.
Lincoln Jipp (Bettendorf)
Jipp placed fifth at 138, third at 165 and second at 175 in Class 3A during his first three seasons. Now he’s up to 215 — 77 pounds more than where he started his career as a freshman. The North Carolina recruit pinned his way through the prestigious Dan Gable Donnybrook. He’s 16-0 with 10 pins, four technical falls and a forfeit.
Mason Koehler (Glenwood)
The returning 2A champ at 215 is 20-0 with 18 pins and a major decision. His only two matches that went the distance came at the Council Bluffs Classic, where he defeated Nebraska standout Ryan Boehle of Grand Island 14-4 and Minnesota hammer Joe Kruse of Totino-Grace 9-2. The rest of Koehler’s matches this season ended in first-period pins. He has already registered a six-second pin and another in nine seconds this season.
Jaxon Miller (Carlisle)
Miller is a three-time state medalist, a two-time finalist and returning state champ in Class 3A. He placed fourth as a freshman at 145 before making trips to the finals at 157 and 165. He’s 16-0 this season with 13 first-period pins, two technical falls and a forfeit.
Keaton Moeller (Starmont)
Moeller placed third in 1A as a freshman at 145 before winning a state title at 150 as a sophomore. He missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL in football. Now he’s back as a senior at 190 and Moeller hasn’t missed a beat. He’s 13-0 with five pins, six technical falls and a pair of forfeits. He has yet to wrestle a full period this season.
Iowa High School Premium Rankings
Check out the Iowa High School Wrestling Premium Rankings, which are generated by using an athlete’s complete match history to predict a wrestler’s performance against others in their weight class by considering factors such as win-loss records, the quality of their victories (pins, technical falls, major decisions), the strength of their opponents and overall historical performance patterns. The data is updated every Monday, sourced from the Trackwrestling season results. Since each team is responsible for maintaining their season results, any data discrepancies for a wrestler should be addressed by contacting their coach to manage the information within the season. This includes the weight class assigned. Wrestlers are eligible to be ranked after competing in five matches at a single weight.
Iowa
Iowa women’s basketball vs. Penn State today: Live updates, score
is
As No. 14-ranked Iowa women’s basketball (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) returns from the Christmas break, the Hawkeyes will begin the bulk of their Big Ten slate today as they welcome Penn State (7-5, 0-1 Big Ten) to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa looks to rebound from its 90-64 loss against No. 1 UConn on Dec. 20, where its sloppy play (26 turnovers leading to 41 UConn points) ultimately proved to be its undoing against the Huskies.
Entering today’s game, sophomore center Ava Heiden leads the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game on 64.4% shooting from the floor, with senior forward Hannah Stuelke (13.4) and sophomore guard Chit-Chat Wright (11.7) also averaging double-figure scoring.
Defensively, Wright leads the team in steals per game with 1.6, while Heiden tops the squad in blocks with 1.2 denials per contest.
As tipoff nears between the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions, follow along for live updates, the latest score, and highlights of the action:
Hawkeyes are on fire offensively through the first quarter of play (shooting 10-for-16 from the floor), while also dominating the defensive glass (leading 7-2 in defensive rebounds) and keeping Penn State off-synch.
Chit-Chat Wright leads everyone with 12 points on 4-for-4 from the floor, 2-for-2 from 3-point territory, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
Timeout Penn State.
Hawkeyes are on a roll offensively since the Nittany Lions’ appeal, with a 14-0 scoring run that forces a Penn State timeout.
Penn State’s appeal was successful on the foul call, but the shot clock violation on the Nittany Lions still stands.
Nittany Lions retain their timeout.
Timeout Penn State.
The Nittany Lions are appealing the foul call on Gracie Merkle and the ensuing shot clock violation.
Both teams are shooting well to start the game.
On its game day availability report, sophomore Emely Rodriguez remains out. Graduate starting guard Kylie Feuerbach is also “questionable.”
Watch Iowa vs. Penn State
TV: Big Ten Network
Tip-off Time: 3 p.m. CT
Iowa women’s basketball schedule
All times CT
- Nov. 3 vs. Southern: Iowa 86, Southern 51
- Nov. 9 vs. Evansville: Iowa 119, Evansville 43
- Nov. 13 vs. Drake: Iowa 100, Drake 58
- Nov. 16 at Northern Iowa: Iowa 74, UNI 41
- Nov. 20 vs. Baylor (WBCA Showcase in Orlando): Iowa 57, Baylor 52
- Nov. 22 vs. Miami (WBCA Showcase in Orlando): Iowa 64, Miami 61
- Nov. 26 vs. Western Illinois: Iowa 86, Western Illinois 69
- Nov. 30 vs. Fairfield: Iowa 86, Fairfield 72
- Dec. 6 at Rutgers: Iowa 79, Rutgers 36
- Dec. 10 at Iowa State: Iowa State 74, Iowa 69
- Dec. 13 vs. Lindenwood: Iowa 102, Lindenwood 68
- Dec. 20 vs. UConn (Champions Classic): UConn 90, Iowa 64
- Dec. 28 vs. Penn State: Big Ten Network, 3 p.m.
- Jan. 1 vs. Nebraska: Big Ten Network, 1 p.m.
- Jan. 5 at Northwestern: Big Ten Network, 7:30 p.m.
- Jan. 11 at Indiana: Big Ten Network, 4 p.m.
- Jan. 15 vs. Oregon: FS1, 8 p.m.
- Jan. 18 vs. Michigan State: Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 22 at Maryland: NBC, 5 p.m.
- Jan. 25 vs. Ohio State: Peacock, 1 p.m.
- Jan. 29 at USC: Peacock, 8 p.m.
- Feb. 1 at UCLA: Fox, 3 p.m.
- Feb. 5 vs. Minnesota: Big Ten Network, 6 p.m.
- Feb. 11 vs. Washington: BTN+, 6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 16 at Nebraska: Fox, 11 a.m.
- Feb. 19 at Purdue: BTN+, 6 p.m.
- Feb. 22 vs. Michigan: Fox or FS1, 11 a.m. or 1 p.m.
- Feb. 26 vs. Illinois: Big Ten Network, 8 p.m.
- March 1 at Wisconsin: BTN+, 2 p.m.
- March 4-8 Big Ten Tournament
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
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