By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com PublisherFollow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams
Unless you’ve been hiding out in a cave for the past 24 hours, you’ve heard that Iowa State defeated UConn 77-64 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. Here is your one stop shop for links about the win.
The Cyclones will take on top-seeded Kentucky on Saturday night at approximately 6:45 CDT.
— Most of the reaction that I’ve seen so far has been fairly typical. If UConn would have won this game, it would have been a "Showdown between the defending national champions and the nation’s best basketball team. Calipari vs. Calhoun. Etc."
But that didn’t happen you see. Now, it’s "Iowa State beat an overrated UConn team that didn’t show up to play."
Let’s start with some local links from the guys who cover the Cyclones for a living…Then I’ll get to the national stuff.
RECAP: A classic game story from Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register, who reports that a bulk of the Kentucky fans in the arena were cheering for Iowa State.
HANSEN: Des Moines Register columnist Marc Hansen chimes in, writing that Iowa State set the tone in the first 10 minutes and never too its foot off the gas.
DISCUSSION: It’s good to see my pal RP in a sports jacket. Must have been a big game. Randy Peterson and Marc Hansen discuss the big win, with Larry the Cable Guy chilling in the background.
LA GESSE: Royce White’s thunderous dunk to start the game set the tone early for the Cyclones, writes Bobby La Gesse from the Ames Tribune.
WOJO: ESPN.com’s Gene Wojciechowski with more on Iowa State playing the role of spoiler for those wanting to see UConn vs. Kentucky. "Wojo" also offers up a stiff warning to Kentucky…
UK won’t beat Iowa State by 27. In fact, there’s no real guarantee it will beat ISU. But if it does — and does so convincingly — then a lot of people who have Big Blue winning it all are going to sleep easier.
This is a team and a game UK should fear. Check that — not fear, but take very seriously. The Cyclones might be the 8-seed, and yes, they lost 10 games this season. But they seem to be playing on house money.
RAPID REACTION: Some "rapid reaction" from ESPN.com.
FORDE: Yahoo’s Pat Forde takes a look at the Jim Calhoun angle of last night’s game. Was that his last game as UConn’s head coach?
GOODMAN: I love the opening line from CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman’s column on the game.
Jim Calhoun didn’t really want the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. He may have thought he did, but a season-ending loss to Iowa State was the proper medication for his back, his body and his sanity.
STAPLES: Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples takes a different and refreshing approach on the game. He actually writes about Iowa State and specifically, Royce White.
