Feb 4, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Nazareth Mitrou-Long (15) makes a layup during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Iowa State won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Before I went to bed on Saturday night, the following thought hit me…
On the morning of Feb. 4, the Iowa State men’s basketball team was 13-8 (5-4), had lost 4-of-6 and was legitimately on the NCAA Tournament’s “bubble.”
The Iowa State women weren’t even there. Bill Fennelly’s program was 12-10, (3-8) and had been all but buried when it came to dancing in March. Just hopping aboard the NIT train would have been considered a success at that time.
Wildly enough: Everything changed on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Out of nowhere, the women housed No. 22 West Virginia 80-55 and have now won 5-of-6 (which includes Friday’s upset of No. 6 Texas).
Then men did what nobody does; won at Allen Fieldhouse in a shocking upset of No. 3 Kansas. Currently, Steve Prohm’s squad is tied for second in the league having won 6-of-7 along the way.
Combine the two: Iowa State basketball has won 11-of-13 since Feb. 4 and both are now considered to be locks for the NCAA Tournament.
It’s been an incredible run full of individual success stories, team chemistry and phenomenal coaching that will culminate this week.
Ditto for the dudes tomorrow, who will close out the regular season on Friday at West Virginia.
New brackets
— Joe Lundardi from ESPN still has Iowa State as a 7-seed in his latest bracket.
— It’s notable that Oklahoma State, Iowa State’s Tuesday opponent, is listed as a 6-seed.
— Bracket Matrix, which combines all of the brackets out there, has Iowa State comfortably as a 7-seed.
— As for the women, ESPN has them solidly “in” right now as a 10-seed.
