Friday December 31st Local Sports

SATURDAY:
AM-1300 KGLO — Citrus Bowl — Iowa vs. Kentucky — pre-game 10:00 AM, kickoff 12:00 noon

 

 

ORLANDO — An Iowa defense that ranks 15th nationally will take on a Kentucky offense ranked 39th in Saturday’s Citrus Bowl. Hawkeye defensive coordinator Phil Parker says it begins with Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez.

Parker says the Wildcats combine a strong ground game with the play action of quarterback Will Levis.

It is the final game together for a veteran Iowa secondary that leads the nation in interceptions.

Senior safety Jack Koerner says Levis is a much better quarterback than the one they faced at Penn State.

Koerner says the Iowa defense will need a disciplined approach.

Kickoff tomorrow is scheduled for noon Iowa time with the pre-game starting at 10 o’clock on AM-1300 KGLO.

 

 

 

UNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have won their last two matchups with the Packers and are the only NFC North team to beat them during Matt LaFleur’s three-year coaching tenure in Green Bay. The Vikings will try to do it again Sunday night as they attempt to boost their playoff hopes amid potential single-digit temperatures in Green Bay. The Vikings will be eliminated from playoff contention Sunday if they lose at Green Bay and the Philadelphia Eagles win at Washington. Green Bay already has clinched its third straight NFC North title and is seeking to earn the conference’s No. 1 playoff seed.

 

 

 

WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA — The NIACC basketball teams swept their games at the Minnesota West Classic in Worthington Minnesota last night. The NIACC women raced out to a 50-29 lead at the half and cruised to a 101-76 win over Minnesota West Technical College. Alyssa Hames had a career-high 20 points while Nora Francois had 16 points. It’s the first time that a NIACC women’s team crossed over the century mark for scoring since a 116-36 win over Little Priest Tribal College in March 2020. The NIACC women are now 8-2 and will face the Gustavus Adolphus College JV this afternoon. The NIACC men outscored Minnesota West 49-29 in the second half on their way to a 95-67 win on Thursday. Jacques Kelly had a career-high 26 points to lead the Trojans while Myles Tucker had 15 and Tysen Brennan added 13. NIACC is now 9-3 overall and will face a Sisseton Wahpeton College team this afternoon who they beat 105-67 earlier in the season in the Konigsmark Klassic at NIACC.

 

 

 

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have signed coach Dean Evason and his staff to multiyear contract extensions. Evason is in his second full season as Minnesota’s coach. The Wild have won 19 of their 30 games so far this season and are on their way to a third consecutive playoff appearance with Evason in charge. He replaced Bruce Boudreau in February 2020. Assistant coaches Darby Hendrickson, Brett McLean and Bob Woods, goaltending coach Frederic Chabot and video coaches T.J. Jindra and Jonas Plumb were also extended.