Cyclone star Georges Niang lobbied for it on Twitter.
Now his wish — and probably yours, too — is reality.
Iowa State athletics announced this morning that the men’s basketball program will host a "Hilton Madness" event at 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at Hilton Coliseum.
Bill Fennelly‘s women’s team will also take part in the showcase.
Niang wanted "Midnight Madness" type hoopla.
But we’re sure 6 p.m. will do.
As the release states, "admission is free; you just have to bring the magic!"
Niang loves that magic. It’s one of the reasons he wanted one of these types of events so common among high-profile programs to become feasible at ISU — and now it is.
"I just fell in love with the university and what it had to offer me," Niang said about his school in a recent interview.
He shared the love by spurring on interest in this event.
Niang sent out a Tweet Monday to gauge possible support for "Hilton Madness."
It quickly had thousands of retweets and favorites.
Here’s more info, per the release, on "Hilton Madness":
From ISU sports information:
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State Men’s & Women’s Basketball arrives in Hilton Coliseum early this year. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Oct. 18 (6 p.m.) for Hilton Madness!
Admission is free; you just have to bring the magic! This new and exciting event will be your first opportunity to meet the men’s and women’s basketball teams and features a 3-point shooting competition, dunk contest and autograph session.
Following the event, fans are encouraged to stay and watch the Cyclone football game at Texas (7 p.m.) on the videoboard.
Event Timeline
5:30 p.m. Doors Open to the Public
– South, Lower West and North Doors
6:00 p.m. Hilton Madness Begins
– Team Introductions
– 2013-14 NCAA Tournament Banners
– 3-Point Shooting Competition
– Dunk Contest
7:00 p.m. Football Game Watch
– Iowa State vs. Texas displayed on videoboard
7:30 p.m. Autograph Session Begins (in Johnny’s)
– The line for the autograph session will form along the inner-concourse.
