Since the 2014 Big 12 Tournament, the trend surrounding Iowa State’s results in Kansas City holds one absolute. Either the Cyclones are downed in their first game or they go on a run and win the whole damn thing.
There’s something about making it to the semifinal round that catapults this program.
For Iowa State fans, the three-hour drive to start the weekend and potentially see a pair of memorable ball games is more than worth it.
“It’s funny, man,” Iowa State forward George Conditt said. “My teammates think I’m crazy. We’re in the same predicament that we were in my freshman year. We have the same overall record we had going in Big 12 tournament.”
That team, after all, was the last Iowa State team to take home the hardware in Kansas City – something the program has done in four of the last eight years.
Iowa State Big 12 Tournament Results
2021 – First Round vs. Oklahoma, L 79-73
2020 – First Round vs. Oklahoma State, L 72-71
2019 – Championship vs. Kansas, W 78-66
2018 – First Round vs. Texas, L 68-64
2017 – Championship vs. West Virginia, W 80-74
2016 – Quarterfinals vs. Oklahoma, L 79-76
2015 – Championship vs. Kansas, W 70-66
2014 – Championship vs. Baylor, W 74-65
“I just feel like stuff is aligning,” Conditt said. “We’ve just got to have that right attitude – the same attitude we had my freshman year. Like yeah, we love the fans, but they aren’t going to go out there and play for us.”
The fans do provide a bit of a spark to the recent Iowa State teams. That 8-0 record when playing in the final two rounds of the tournament can speak for that itself.
However, a plethora of this roster hasn’t experienced yet what they call ‘Hilton South.’
“In our words, (Conditt) said it was lit,” Big 12 freshman of the year Tyrese Hunter said. “He said there’s a lot of support out there and we’re looking forward to seeing a lot of red in the crowd. When I see (a lot of) people coming out to support us, I’ve got to do my thing on the court if they’re coming out of their way to see me play.”
The Cyclones open the tournament this year in the 3-6 game, facing off with Texas Tech – the team that Iowa State earned its first Big 12 win against this season.
In the return trip to Lubbock, Iowa State was downed by 12 points and again held below 60 points. It’s going to take another extensive effort to get by this team on Thursday.
“Playing hard – I think it’s going to come down to that,” Hunter said. “When the best of the best meet, you’ve got to do the little things – that’s diving on the floor, getting loose balls, playing longer defensive possessions and going into the whole shot clock. You’ve just got to go out there and play hard.”
Iowa State will take to the court against the Red Raiders – looking for that intensity it’s felt at times this year.
It might take a boost from the crowd and atmosphere to push it over Texas Tech, but there may not be a better place to do it.
“I’m super excited – it was already amazing playing at Hilton and having that type of environment every single night. I’d never experienced something like that before. Now in a conference tournament where all of the teams are at, just to think we’d have that same support is exciting,” Iowa State’s Izaiah Brockington said.
The Cyclones open Big 12 play on Thursday night against No. 3 seed Texas Tech. The game is scheduled to tipoff at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 and the full tournament bracket can be seen below:
