1/19/2025
Defeating Kansas annually at home has been a nice habit to get used to. The Cyclones
defeated the hated Jayhawks 74 -57 in Ames Wednesday night improving their record to 15-1.
In recent years perhaps the word "hawk" in a name is enough to fire them up whether its
Jayhawks or Hawkeyes. They have pounced on their closest rivals.
Truthfully, this game was definitely a little closer then that 17 point spread indicates. lowa State did lead throughout, never trailed and led by 10 at half. Kansas kept it within single digits even getting the deficit down to 3. But this game didn't get out of hand until the final 5 minutes. Hope the Jayhawks enjoyed their stay.
Coach T.J. Otzelberger's tight short sleeve shirts doing his best former NFL referee Ed Hochuli wasn't enough to scare West Virginia on Saturday evening. The Cyclones lost their first conference game and the nation's longest winning streak also came to an end. The
Mountaineers earned a solid 64-57 victory dropping lowa State to 15-2 and 5-1 in the Big 12. A
brutal reminder of life on the road in this conference. The only concern here is the scoring; an
issue that has kept the team from making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament despite Big 12
Tournament success. Lowest scoring output of the season, even in their only other defeat vs top ranked Auburn the team scored 81 points. lowa State will lose its #2 ranking so we will all have to listen to Duke stuff now. Nauseating.
1/12/2025
The Cyclones won their tenth straight game this past Tuesday night 82-59 over Utah moving their record to 13-1 and 3-0 in Big 12 play. Curtis Jones led the way with 23 points and this was coming off the bench. This game was never close, the lead was 13 at the half and the issue was never in doubt.
Very strange watching this as a conference game, yes Utah is in the Big 12. The loss dropped them to 9-6 and 1-3 in their new conference. Another frigid day in Ames outside and the Utes were as cold inside going scoreless for a 9 minute stretch in the first half.
An overtime thriller Saturday afternoon against Texas Tech. Iowa State trailed by 6 at the half, made up that deficit in the second half and defeated the Red Raiders in OT 85-84. Trap game? Nah definitely not. Road games are always a big challenge in league play. Texas Tech is a nice team.
Wednesday is Kansas. That 3 word sentence is enough to make you puke.
The Cyclones are now 14-1 and will likely move to #2 in the polls with Tennessee losing this past week. Auburn will move to #1 (The only loss for Iowa State this season).
1/5/2025
Iowa State opened their Big 12 Conference schedule this past Monday with a 79-69 victory at Colorado. As expected this was a tighter game than the 28 point blowout at Maui in November. The Cyclones had four players with double digit points with Curtis Jones leading the way pouring in 20. The over/under on this game should’ve been Sanders references during the broadcast. Inevitably the mute button was exercised, nails on a chalkboard. It wasn't terribly surprising to hear about a mediocre college football team during a basketball game.
The Cyclones returned home on Saturday to face #25 Baylor, A wire to wire 74-55 win moves the team to 12-1 and 2-0 in the conference. Could the 5 degree temperature in Ames outside have affected the Bears inside? This game sure felt like a warm weather football team struggling in cold weather. Baylor was never really in this game. Iowa State will most likely remain at #3 in the AP and Coaches polls this coming week. Games this week for the Cyclones include Utah at home Tuesday and at Texas Tech on Saturday.
12/29/2024
The Cyclones were phenomenal this week going undefeated ......against no opponents. No injuries to report as well against these opponents.
Iowa State fans had only one thing to watch this week; a thrilling 42-41 win over Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl. Pop Tarts Bowl? Yes, cookies and cream mascots throughout the Orlando stadium. Not exactly the Rose Bowl. The uniforms were dreadful; the end zone was decorated in cardinal and yellow, as it should, and the team wore black, just horrendous.
Hopefully the basketball team will not wear this nonsense this season at all and just stick with the traditional colors. The team spent the holidays in Ames and will start the conference schedule on Monday, December 30.
At 10-1 the Cyclones remained #3 in the AP and Coaches Poll. The Big 12 Conference schedule starts for Iowa State against Colorado, a team they have already defeated convincingly 99-71 in a non-conference game in Maui. This contest should be tougher, the Buffaloes are 9-2 and have the game at home. Both losses for Colorado were at the Maui Invitational (Iowa State and Michigan State). I like the fact that a conference opener for the Cyclones will happen on the road in late December rather than at Hilton Coliseum. Students are on break, nobody is there. Additionally, establishing a road win would be a nice start to hopefully gain a reputation of being a tough road team which is critical in the Big 12.
12/23/2024
As luck would have it, I found myself in Atlantic City, NJ during another Sunday afternoon
snooze fest of lowa State opponents at Hilton Coliseum. Jackson State, Omaha, and Morgan
State...please no more!!
For my entertainment, I wandered into the Sports Book at Hard Rock Cafe. The Cyclones were 42.5 point favorites, that seems nuts. The 20 dollar money line would win .09 cents. The cashiers were just laughing that someone would plunk down 20 dollars for a ticket that paid 20.09. The final was 99-72 over Morgan State. Hopefully this is the end of
Sunday lemons, and it will be with the Big 12 schedule starting on December 30.
lowa State begins the league season next Monday at Colorado. The Cyclones have already
defeated the Buffaloes in a non-league game during the Maui Invitational on November 27: 99
to 71. The team remains ranked #3 in the country with an 11-1 record. Thus far they have
seemed to improve greatly in the scoring department which has hurt them the past 2 seasons.
The Cyclones have scored over 80 points in all 12 games this season including 2 games with 99 and anotner with an even 100
12/15/2024
Little Brother! Little Brother! Mom always said don’t play ball in the house. Iowa St defeated their petite sibling from the Big 10 for the third time in four years Thursday night 89-80. It is truly a Cyclone state. The Cy-Hawk trophy goes to ISU, and not even Caitlin Clark could've helped the Hawkeyes.
The non conference wins now are : Iowa, Marquette, and Dayton, as well as, in-conference Colorado. You’d like to have the Auburn game, but they blew a huge halftime lead. The Cyclones will most likely stay at #3 in the polls, Again a team with major difficulty to score points has done so in the first ten games.
This Sunday waste of time has hopefully ended today with the conference schedule starting. Another waste of time, in the way of football games. Iowa St defeated Omaha 83-51 to go to 9-1. OH WAIT: next Sunday afternoon Morgan State comes to Ames.......for another Sunday joke. The Committee hates the Cyclones, so this must be tough for them so far.
Only one game this week Morgan state, and then Colorado again in conference on Dec. 30.
12/8/2024
The Cyclones entered the week ranked # 6, down 1 spot from the previous week. Ironically they immediately faced off against the team who replaced them at #5; Marquette. Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum lowa State led wire to wire against the Golden Eagles in an 81-70 victory. Keshon Gilbert led the attack for the Cyclones with 24 points and 7 assists.
Jackson State came Hilton Coliseum Sunday boasting an 0-9 mark. In less then two hours they would leave 0-10 in an absolute waste of time. The final was 100-58, should be a fun trip back to Mississippi.
Two victories this week doesn't take the sting away from an embarrassing effort from the lowa
State football team in the Big 12 championship game. Maybe the game will,.., this Thursday the annual Cy-Hawk vs lowa takes place in lowa City. Last season in Ames, the Cyclones blew out the Hawkeyes 90-65. lowa State returns home to play Omaha on Sunday.
11/30/2024
The Cyclones return from Maui winning 2 of 3 games with a current record of 5-1. Of
course the signature game for the team in Hawaii was a contest with #4 Auburn.
Unfortunately for the cyclones they squandered a 16 point halftime lead to lose 83-81.
Bounce back wins against Dayton and Colorado followed. Offensive output totals are
encouraging thus far for the team, Despite great success the last 2 seasons, scoring
has been an issue. lowa State averaged 90 points in the 3 games in Maui. Up next #10 Marquette on Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum.
Scrolling the tv guide looking for the Maui Invitational, I noticed another holiday
tournament with the description: 7th place game. Well I immediately thought of Meet the
Fockers from 2004. Jack wanders into Greg's room and finds a 9th place ribbon
displayed on the "Wall of Gaylord®". Jack of course can't help but make a sarcastic dig:"I
didn"t know they made 9th place ribbons?" Well I didn't know they had 7th place games
in holiday tournaments. The mere description on the tv guide ruined any interest.
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