Metro Sports Report

Ferentz walking with Big Ten legends

Woody, Bo, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Hayden and JoePa.

Those are the only coaches in Big Ten history who have won more conference games than Kirk Ferentz.

And if Ferentz sticks around for the length of his new contract through the 2025 campaign, he could rise to No. 3 on the all-time list behind only Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, two of the true legends in Big Ten annals.

Ferentz collected his 81st victory in conference games Saturday when the Hawkeyes blanked Illinois, 28-0, on a cold, blustery day in Champaign for their first shutout in six years and their first shutout of the Illini since 1985.

Ferentz climbed into a tie for sixth place in Big Ten history with former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr with those 81 victories in conference games only. Ferentz has 134 victories overall in 18 years at Iowa, which puts him seventh in league history.

You don't think of Ferentz as a Big Ten legend, but someday people might look back on his career and his track record and proclaim him one of the most successful coaches in Big Ten history. A couple of more Big Ten titles and trips to the Rose Bowl would help, but there could be no disputing his overall record in the league.

Hayes won 153 conference games and Schembechler claimed 143, putting them 1-2 on the list. Then comes Stagg, the famous coach at the University of Chicago who won 115 league games in the early stages of the 20th Century.

Hayden Fry, the man Ferentz succeeded at Iowa, retired due to health reasons after the 1998 season with 96 league wins. Paterno garnered 95 victories in Big Ten conference games after Penn State joined the league in the 1990's.

No. 7 Eagles roll past Triton, 77-49

Kirkwood Coach Kim Muhl likes his team and thinks they can do good things this season, but he was not happy with the way the seventh-ranked Eagles played in their 77-49 victory over Triton in the opening round of the

Kirkwood Classic at Johnson Hall Friday night.

"Selfish. Very selfish," he said after the easy win.

Kirkwood (5-0) shot only 33.3 percent from the field and collected only 17 assists, two of the stats that displeased the head coach. And that wasn't all.

"They didn't guard, they didn't get back defensively," he maintained. "They were going through the motions. It's not good enough. And they'll get beat. We have a good team, but they'll get beat in a big game."

The Eagles have already knocked off three ranked teams this season with verdicts State Fair (No. 18 in Division I), Parkland (No. 8 in Division II) and Illinois Central (No. 11 in Division II). Muhl thinks those three impressive victories may have contributed to the lackluster performance against Triton.

"I like this group. They're good kids," he said. "But everyone gets a little cocky when you're 4-and-0. Basketball, like any sport, is a humbling experience really quick."

Duncan's boot at buzzer stuns No. 2 Michigan

IOWA CITY - If you thought Donald Trump beating Hillary Clinton was the biggest upset of the year, you probably don't know what happened at Kinnick Stadium Saturday night.

Freshman Keith Duncan booted a 33-yard field goal as time expired as the Iowa Hawkeyes stunned the second-ranked Michigan Wolverines, 14-13, in a defensive slugfest before a festive sellout crowd of 70,585.

The Hawkeyes were shredded in their previous game at Penn State and looked like a team in deep trouble, but they put their hearts on the line Saturday and dented Michigan's shot at the national title.

Duncan turned and ran toward the other end of the field after his game-winning kick, with teammates and thousands of Hawkeye fans in hot pursuit. He was buried under a huge dog-pile and fortunately escaped unharmed.

"I just took off," he said. "I didn't really know what to do. You don't really practice these things. I was just running and then I saw the fans. That was pretty cool."

Iowa fans filled every spot on the field after the dramatic victory and celebrated with the Hawkeyes, many of whom lingered for more than 10 minutes before heading to the locker room. Security officials knew it was hopeless to try and keep fans off the field and did not bother to try, knowing it was peaceful gathering with nobody in serious danger.

No. 1 Eagles sail by Black Hawk, 98-55

The top-ranked Kirkwood Eagles popped in six 3-pointers in the first nine minutes Saturday and coasted to a 98-55 victory over Black Hawk College at Johnson Hall.

Miles Wentzien began the barage with a pair of triples, then Ethan Meeker, Carlo Marble and Al'Tavius Jackson followed with 3-pointers of their own and Meeker added another to make it 25-4.

Kirkwood hit eleven 3-pointers in the game and cruised to victory. Wentzien and Meeker finished with three apiece.

Coach Bryan Petersen thinks the Eagles could be proficient from 3-point range this season.

"We're starting to see it a little bit more," he said after Kirkwood raised its record to 3-1. "Our biggest thing is, we have to take really good ones. If we take really good ones, I trust our shooters a lot and believe we'll be able to make shots this year.

"The biggest thing is, if the guys see the ball go in they get a little confidence. It's starting and hopefully that will continue in the next few games."

Wentzien led Kirkwood with 19 points and nine rebounds. Da'Rion King muscled in 17 points and Meeker scored 13.