Tag: Iowa State Cyclones

Cydney Sanders named Big 12 Player of the Week

After a huge week, Oklahoma’s Cydney Sanders was named Big 12 Player of the Week.

It was a huge weekend on the diamond for the Oklahoma Sooners. OU Baseball swept UCF, and OU Softball swept Iowa State. Both programs crushed the ball, putting up 29 runs over the weekend. For OU Baseball, Easton Carmichael was named Co-Big 12 Player of the Week. Now it’s softball’s turn to earn some honors as Cydney Sanders was named Big 12 Player of the Week.

Sanders was awesome last week, batting .714 with four home runs and nine RBIs. All four home runs came in the weekend series against the Cyclones, with three coming during Saturday’s doubleheader. During Oklahoma’s 4-0 week, Sanders also drew five walks.

Sanders is having the type of month that could propel her into the National Player of the Year discussion if she’s able to keep this pace. Ahead of their double header with Tarleton State, Sanders has six home runs and 15 RBIs in the month of March.

More: 5 Takeaways from Oklahoma’s sweep of Iowa State

She’s in the midst of a huge bounce-back season after hitting just .284 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 2023. That came after a breakout freshman season with Arizona State, where she hit .425 with 21 home runs and 63 RBIs.

This season, she’s already hit eight home runs, just one away from matching her total from last season. Sanders is batting .385, has 20 RBIs, and leads the Sooners with 15 walks.

Sanders and the Sooners next take the field in a double-header against Tarleton State on Tuesday before traveling to Lubbock for a three-game series against Texas Tech.

More: How to watch No. 1 Oklahoma vs. Tarleton State

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners lose to the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals again

Sooners Big 12 tournament run is over as they fall to the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.

It was just one season ago the Oklahoma Sooners were co-regular season Big 12 champs and headed into the semifinals of the [autotag]Big 12 tournament[/autotag] to take on the [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag]. The Sooners would go on to lose that game.

Now, they came into the rematch as Big 12 regular season champs, ready to face the Cyclones again. Iowa State jumped on the Sooners early with a quick 18-7 lead. The Sooners were able to battle back and got it to a three-point game in the second quarter after a [autotag]Payton Verhulst[/autotag] three.

That’s when the Cyclones really started to put their stamp on the game as they finished the quarter on a 17-6 run to take a 38-24 lead at the half. The second half was much like the end of the first half and was completely dominated by the Cyclones. The Sooners were never able to get it closer than the 14 points at the half. The Cyclones led by as many as 28 points in the second half.

The Cyclones coasted in the fourth quarter and beat the Sooners 85-68, ending the Sooners’ Big 12 tournament run. The Sooners shot 36.1% from the field and 30.3% from three, while Iowa State shot 57.9% from the field and 52.2% from three.

[autotag]Audi Crooks[/autotag] dominated the Sooners and led the way with 25 points and nine rebounds. For the Sooners, [autotag]Sahara Williams[/autotag] had 16 points and five rebounds, and [autotag]Payton Verhulst[/autotag] had 23 points and seven rebounds.

Now, the Sooners wait for selection day to find out where they will be headed in the NCAA tournament. The biggest question now is if they’ve done enough to earn a top-four seed in the tournament, which would allow them to host the first two rounds in Norman.

But there is no question they’ve done a great job turning things around after how much they struggled earlier in the season.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ FacebookĀ to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on TwitterĀ @JaronSpor.

‘We’re spoiled’: Oklahoma Sooners defense shines against Iowa State

After a rough defensive outing in the loss to Louisiana, the Sooners looked like themselves vs. Iowa State.

One of the more shocking things when Oklahoma Sooners’ 71-game winning streak came to an end was how bad their defense played that game. They had a number of mistakes they just don’t make.

While the offense has gotten all of the attention the last few seasons Oklahoma has also been one of the best defensive teams in the country as well. In Oklahoma’s sweep of the [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag], the Sooners’ stellar defensive play returned.

Patty Gasso talked after the game about their defense against the Cyclones. “We’re spoiled,” Gasso said. “Jayda Coleman makes some of the greatest plays out there. She will not be denied, but it bleeds on to Hannah Coor, who made some good plays and almost had one tonight. Defense looks solid. It was very clean. It was very pure style of play, specifically Game 2.”

Gasso went on to say she thought her team came out a little flat with almost a “boring” style of play. But that changed in the second game of the day when the Sooners won 11-2. The offense is going to be there almost every single game but it’s the defense that is going to be the difference if this team ends up winning another national championship.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ FacebookĀ to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on TwitterĀ @JaronSpor.

Cydney Sanders’ has big weekend in Sooners sweep of Iowa State

Cydney Sanders showed off her power in a big weekend vs. Iowa State.

The Oklahoma Sooners started Big 12 play with a bang as they beat the [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag] in all three games to start. The Sooners won 4-0, 11-2 and then 14-1.

The star of the weekend was first baseman [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag]. Sanders hit four home runs and recorded nine RBIs. Sanders spoke to reporters after Saturdayā€™s doubleheader about the day she had.

“Just seeing a strike and swinging,” Sanders said. “Honestly, in my last at-bat, I told coach I was going to swing at my first pitch strike. I ended up not but it ended up working out in the end. Just seeing pitches and getting good swings on them.”

That she did. We had been waiting for a breakout day from Sanders since she transferred before last season. As a freshman, she hit 21 home runs and had 63 RBIs for Arizona State. In her first year with the Sooners she hit nine home runs with 31 RBIs and her batting average dropped from .425 to .284.

This year Sanders is up to .385 and already has eight home runs and 20 RBIs. That would put her on pace for about 20 home runs and 46 RBIs. Sheā€™s had six home runs and 15 RBIs in the month of March alone. And itā€™s only March 10.

If they can keep getting this version of Cydney Sanders, it could be huge fir Oklahomaā€™s chances of winning a fourth straight national title.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ FacebookĀ to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on TwitterĀ @JaronSpor.

Duke slides up one spot to 9th in latest AP Poll ahead of final week of regular season

Duke moves up to ninth in penultimate regular season Associated Press poll.

It is officially March, and we are less than two weeks away from Selection Sunday. Jon Scheyer’s team is playing some of their best basketball of the season, and they look like a team starting to find itself at the perfect time. They enter Monday in second place in the ACC with a week ahead of them that features two games against two of their fiercest ACC rivals, NC State and UNC.

Duke will enter their Monday night matchup on the road against NC State as the 9th-ranked team in the country after they moved up one spot in the latest and penultimate AP poll of the 2023-2024 regular season.

Houston survived a valiant upset bid from Oklahoma on Saturday in head coach Kelvin Sampson’s return to Norman thanks to the late-game heroics of soon-to-be All-American guard Jamal Shead. The Cougars won 87-85. UCONN moved to number two as they secured the Big East regular season title, while Purdue slid one spot to third in the latest poll. Tennessee remained in contention for a number-one seed after they dispatched an electric Alabama team on Saturday in Alabama.

With Marquette’s loss to Creighton, the Golden Eagles fell to 8th, allowing Arizona, Iowa State, and the Tar Heels to take over the fifth, sixth, and seventh spots, respectively. With Duke at nine, Creighton rounds out the top ten after they moved up 12 spots.

Duke and UNC remain the lone ACC teams in the top 25, while none of the other ACC teams are even receiving votes. If Duke takes down NC State and beats North Carolina at home, the Blue Devils will earn at least a share of the ACC regular season title and should put themselves firmly in contention for a two-seed with a great showing in the ACC Tournament.

Vikings 2024 NFL draft scouting report: Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa

Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa was excellent for the Cyclones over the last few seasons. What does his NFL Draft stock look like?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of theĀ Minnesota VikingsĀ from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikingsā€™ major needs at quarterback, running back, defensive line and edge rusher. We will also focus on wide receiver since itā€™s a loaded class and an increased chance to get a Stefon Diggs-type steal in the later rounds.

The Vikings are slated to have 9 picks going into the NFL draft and they need to make the most out of them.

How to watch, key players for Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 1 Houston Cougars

Here is how you can watch the Oklahoma Sooners’ upcoming game against the Houston Cougars.

The Oklahoma Sooners return home after a terrible trip to Ames, Iowa where they were smothered by the [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag]’ defense. Now, they return to Norman to face the top team in the country.

There is a fun storyline to follow in this one. [autotag]Kelvin Sampson[/autotag] returns to Norman for the first time since leaving after the 2005-2006 season. Sampson finished with a 279-109 record in Norman and is probably the second-best coach in OU men’s basketball history. He won three consecutive conference tournament titles and made the Final Four and the Elite 8 during his time.

Now, he brings his [autotag]Houston Cougars[/autotag] team and smothering defense to Norman, looking to wrap up the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] regular season title in their first year in the conference soon.

So, let’s look at some key players and how you can watch the game.

Duke remains steady at No. 9 in latest AP Poll

After two relatively stress free wins last week, Duke remains at No. 9 in latest AP Poll.

After winning both of their games last week in an attempt to bounce back from the loss to their Tobacco Road rivals, Jon Scheyer’s Duke Blue Devils remained at No. 9 in the latest AP Poll released Monday afternoon.

Duke dispatched Notre Dame at home 71-53 to complete a season sweep of the Fighting Irish. They followed up with an 80-65 home win over a Boston College team led by All-ACC big man Quinten Post.

As the calendar inches closer and closer to March, Duke is trying to round itself into form and begin playing their best basketball at the right time.

At the top of the AP Poll, Connecticut and Purdue serve as the two best teams in the nation, respectively. UNC‘s home loss to Clemson for just the second time ever cost them their spot at No. 3. That now goes to the Houston Cougars, who moved up since Kansas lost against their in-state rivals, the Kansas State Wildcats on the road.

Marquette and Arizona are your fourth- and fifth-ranked teams as both saw themselves rise three spots from last week’s poll.

Kansas is now sixth, while Hubert Davis’ team is now seventh. All-American candidate Dalton Knecht and the Tennessee Volunteers are now eight after Texas A&M drilled them on Saturday evening.

T. J. Otzelberger and the Iowa State Cyclones round out the top 10, giving the Big 12 three schools in the top 10.

Tony Bennett and the Virginia Cavaliers join the Blue Devils and Tarheels as the only ACC teams represented in the top 25.

Duke, Virginia, and UNC are in a tense battle for ACC supremacy, with the Tar Heels holding onto a one-game lead over UVA and a 1.5-game lead over Duke. UVA and UNC are set to play each other toward the end of February, while Duke is set to host both Virginia and UNC in March as their final two home games to close out this ACC regular season.

Watch: Iowa State shares hype video for Brock Purdy before Super Bowl

Iowa State shared a must-watch hype video for former Cyclone QB Brock Purdy before the Super Bowl.

Prior to stepping under center for the San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy played four seasons in Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Cyclones. During his college career, Purdy shattered multiple Iowa State records, including becoming the program’s most passing and total touchdowns, along with yards and competitions.

Purdy represented Iowa State as a three-time All-Big 12 quarterback. As a junior, Purdy led Iowa State to the program’s first New Year’s Six Bowl Game, beating Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

Before the Super Bowl, Iowa State took to Twitter to share a must-watch hype video for their former quarterback. The video featured his family, former Iowa State basketball players Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang and his former coach Matt Campbell.

Via @CycloneFB on Twitter:

This post originally appeared onĀ Niners Wire! Follow us onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ Twitter!Ā 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Duke softball sweeps doubleheader against Iowa State and Nebraska for first two wins of 2024

The Blue Devils couldn’t get the better of top-ranked Oklahoma on Thursday, but the Duke softball team handled business against Iowa State and Nebraska on Friday.

If any Blue Devils fans needed a reminder that a season-opening loss to Oklahoma is not the end of the world, the Duke softball team gave them that on Friday.

Duke played two games in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Friday, first against Iowa State before an afternoon game against Nebraska, and the Blue Devils won both games by a combined 18 runs.

The team wasted little time reminding the Cyclones they were still one of the best teams in the country during the morning’s opening game. After Duke batted in two runs in the opening inning, the Blue Devils broke the game wide open with a five-run second inning.

The entire rally happened with two outs. After the bases were loaded by two singles and a walk, junior Ana Gold laced a single into left that drove home two runners. Claire Davidson followed up with a two-RBI smack of her own in the very next at-bat, a double to right-center, before Aminah Vega brought her around to home with a single.

Seven straight Blue Devils batters reached base before the final out of the inning was recorded, and the lead was 7-0 before the Cyclones got their second chance to bat.

Iowa State tried to answer with two runs in the bottom of the second, but a grand slam from Davidson powered another five-run inning in the third, and the rout was on.

Duke scored four more runs over the rest of the game and ended up winning by mercy rule, 16-3, after just five innings. Davidson finished the game with a home run, two doubles, and six RBIs in just four at-bats.

The Blue Devils kept the momentum rolling in the top of the first against Nebraska, with Aminah Vega powering a line drive into right field to bring home a pair of runners and give Duke the early lead.

Duke managed to bring four more runs home across the next six innings, including a solo shot from Jada Baker in the sixth, but those opening two runs proved to be enough of a buffer.

Nebraska didn’t score a run until the bottom of the final inning, when Duke’s lead was already six, and the Cornhuskers managed just a single run and a single hit across the entire game as Duke coasted to a 6-1 victory.

The Blue Devils now sit 2-1 on the young after the back-to-back wins. TheyĀ play their last game of the season-opening tournament on Saturday against Long Beach State. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. ET.