Hawkeye leading scorer could face more legal trouble

Reports indicate Hawkeye basketball player Pierre Pierce (shown in above picture) may be in trouble with the law again. A woman in a West Des Moines condo called police Thursday evening to report a burglary, and sources indicate Pierce may be at the center of the investigation. Police say several items in the home were damaged, including bedroom furniture. Sources indicate police are also considering charges ranging from criminal mischief to false imprisonment and assault. Hawkeye coach Steve Alford appeared on his Learfield call-in program last night, and a fan asked about the situation.
The caller said he hoped Pierce was innocent after he’d been given a second chance. Alford said he went through the “personal rumor mill” this past fall. “I don’t take too much to rumors,” Alford said. “I think we gotta wait and see how things all fall out before we make any comments or the administration makes any comments, just find out exactly what’s going on and then we’ll figure out and go from there.” Pierce, a junior in eligibility, sat out of competition for a year after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman in Iowa City. Pierce had been accused of sexual assault, but pleaded guilty to assault causing injury. He is the team’s leading scorer this season.