Jeff Linder

Women’s basketball: New and improved Illinois, already with its most wins in 8 years, hosts No. 12 Iowa in a Big Ten biggie Sunday.

The Gazette’s Jeff Linder reveals where he would place Waverly-Shell Rock, and how he would redraw the rest of the Iowa high school conference landscape.

Monika Czinano joined Caitlin Clark (and three others) in the Iowa women’s basketball 2,000-point club, McKenna Warnock and Hannah Stuelke make major contributions and No. 12 Iowa whipped Purdue, 83-68. A crowd of nearly 12,000 included signee Ava Jones.

Women’s basketball: Iowa’s Big Ten chase resumes Thursday vs. Purdue. Hawkeyes have won 5 straight, but there are issues to be addressed. Also, junior Taylor Stremlow commits.

Women’s basketball: Projecting the 2022-23 Big Ten race. As many as six teams could contend for the title, and the pick here is Indiana.

Girls’ basketball: The Gazette’s 2023 mock regional brackets.

Prep football: Iowa member schools overwhelmingly pass measure dealing with enrollment and classification based on free and reduced lunch. Next up: Iowa Department of Education.

Girls’ basketball notes: Chasing its first Upper Iowa Conference title since 1976, Elkader Central is 7-0 (with three postponements).

Area girls’ basketball Super Ten (Dec. 21): North Linn takes over the top spot; Benton Community makes a big jump.

Women’s basketball: Iowa routs Dartmouth 92-54, and Caitlin Clark reaches the 2,000-point mark in 75 games, matching Elena Delle Donne’s NCAA record.

Girls’ basketball: Jenna Twedt leads Benton Community’s 3-point barrage in a 51-36 win over Clear Creek Amana.

Women’s basketball: No. 13 Iowa concludes its non-conference schedule Wednesday against Dartmouth, and it should be an opportunity for the Hawkeyes’ role players to shine.

Women’s basketball: No. 12 Iowa shoots 28 of 31 from the free-throw line, completes an in-state sweep with an 88-74 victory over UNI.

Girls’ basketball: Cedar Rapids Kennedy is super sharp early, tops Cedar Rapids Prairie, 44-34.

Women’s basketball: Kate Martin is available for Iowa’s game Sunday vs. UNI; Caitlin Clark and Monika Czinano are closing in on 2,000 career points.