30 years ago

[gipper2001]

One of my favorite Cyclone teams growing up, the 1992 squad. Featuring a starting lineup of Ron Bayless, Justus Thigpen, Hoiberg, Michalik, and Howard Eaton. Not only is this team 30 years old, it was also the last time Iowa State made the tournament 4 games under .500 in conference until this year. This entire lineup could shoot from 3 and they were so fun to watch. Here's the link to their first round game versus UNC Charlotte.

 

[CoachHines3]

Wonder who the guy was that was like, "you know.. we should try and put the score and time up on the screen for the WHOLE GAME"

 

[CyNews]

One of my favorite Cyclone teams growing up, the 1992 squad. Featuring a starting lineup of Ron Bayless, Justus Thigpen, Hoiberg, Michalik, and Howard Eaton. Not only is this team 30 years old, it was also the last time Iowa State made the tournament 4 games under .500 in conference until this year. This entire lineup could shoot from 3 and they were so fun to watch. Here's the link to their first round game versus UNC Charlotte.

Eaton was so valuable.

 

[ca4cy]

One of my favorite Cyclone teams growing up, the 1992 squad. Featuring a starting lineup of Ron Bayless, Justus Thigpen, Hoiberg, Michalik, and Howard Eaton. Not only is this team 30 years old, it was also the last time Iowa State made the tournament 4 games under .500 in conference until this year. This entire lineup could shoot from 3 and they were so fun to watch. Here's the link to their first round game versus UNC Charlotte.

There's so much awesome in that. Raftery and the Hamm's beer song. Johnny, young Fred, Julo, Meyer, and Beechum. Bayless and JT were a freaking awesome back court and Howard Eaton was a really nice complimentary player that would fit on a lot of ISU teams.

That team couldn't do **** on the road (hence the 5-9 conference record) but they were a blast to watch and tough at home. And they gave Kentucky all they wanted in the 2nd round before falling late.

 

[matt]

I believe that was the same Kentucky team that lost to Duke on ”the pass and Laitner shot.”

 

[ca4cy]

I believe that was the same Kentucky team that lost to Duke on ”the pass and Laitner shot.”

It was. That was a really good UK team. Also the one where Johnny was pissed that 30 second Rick spent most of the game out of the coaching box (which was fairly new.) Of course Johnny didn't spend a helluva lot of time in there either.

 

[KnappShack]

There's so much awesome in that. Raftery and the Hamm's beer song. Johnny, young Fred, Julo, Meyer, and Beechum. Bayless and JT were a freaking awesome back court and Howard Eaton was a really nice complimentary player that would fit on a lot of ISU teams.

That team couldn't do **** on the road (hence the 5-9 conference record) but they were a blast to watch and tough at home. And they gave Kentucky all they wanted in the 2nd round before falling late.

Free the Hamm's Beer song!

 

[Acylum]

One of my favorite Cyclone teams growing up, the 1992 squad. Featuring a starting lineup of Ron Bayless, Justus Thigpen, Hoiberg, Michalik, and Howard Eaton. Not only is this team 30 years old, it was also the last time Iowa State made the tournament 4 games under .500 in conference until this year. This entire lineup could shoot from 3 and they were so fun to watch. Here's the link to their first round game versus UNC Charlotte.

Wish we had a Double Winner reaction rating. Bayless and Thigpen were nails. Not many better backcourts in the country that year. Especially when you consider there weren’t 3 guard lineups back then.

 

[BCClone]

Justus was ready to shoot once he saw the “angry chicken” as Johnny called it.

 

[CRcyclone6]

Thanks for posting this. These guys gave Kentucky all they could handle in the next game too. Brian Pearson on the bench. RIP.

 

[madguy30]

Thigpen didn't mess around when he dunked.

Probably just nostalgia but in a way, early-mid 90s ISU basketball was maybe my favorite era.

 

[cyclones500]

It was. That was a really good UK team. Also the one where Johnny was pissed that 30 second Rick spent most of the game out of the coaching box (which was fairly new.) Of course Johnny didn't spend a helluva lot of time in there either.

I still believe that UK team should be high on lists of "Best teams that didn't reach Final Four." I've seen rankings with that theme, and rarely seems to be included.

Edit: my assessment of 'best not in F4' is probably 1981-ish and beyond. I won't claim to know enough prior to that. Louisville '83 probably qualifies.

 

[PAClone]

I was in Worcester, MA for those games. Kentucky game was incredible with Bayless and Thigpen pretty much unstoppable. I met the woman who was in charge of travel for the team, and since I lived in Philly where the next round was, she asked me to help find a hotel if ISU beat Kentucky. Pretty crazy that the NCAA didn’t arrange that back then. Did get to see the Laetner shot in person at the Spectrum. That was pretty fun too!

 

[AlaCyclone]

Thigpen didn't mess around when he dunked.

Probably just nostalgia but in a way, early-mid 90s ISU basketball was maybe my favorite era.

Wax nostalgic. That was an AWESOME Era of ISU Basketball!

 

[ca4cy]

Thigpen didn't mess around when he dunked.

Probably just nostalgia but in a way, early-mid 90s ISU basketball was maybe my favorite era.

Simpler time. The games seemed like a bigger deal because they weren't all on TV. Hilton was better then for sure. You didn't have all the piped in music and in game ads breaking up momentum. Just the band and the crowd...and it was amazing.

That was also the selection show where Johnny let Vitale have it. Just awesome.

 

[madguy30]

Wax nostalgic. That was an AWESOME Era of ISU Basketball!

I think it was the idea that they were good, but still the underdoggish role and fun to watch. They lost plenty of games but highlights were beating KU and Okie State in Hilton in 91-92.

 

[madguy30]

Simpler time. The games seemed like a bigger deal because they weren't all on TV. Hilton was better then for sure. You didn't have all the piped in music and in game ads breaking up momentum. Just the band and the crowd...and it was amazing.

That was also the selection show where Johnny let Vitale have it. Just awesome.

Man I wish there was a way to do away with these things. So much more authentic without it.

 

[RonBurgundy]

Thigpen didn't mess around when he dunked.

Probably just nostalgia but in a way, early-mid 90s ISU basketball was maybe my favorite era.

Yep, sandwiched around that UK loss was a first round UCLA loss in 88-89 and a first round UCLA loss in 92-93. That 88-89 team had such a high future ceiling with soph Victor Alexander, soph Sam Mack, and Mark Baugh. Sigh....

 

[AlaCyclone]

I think it was the idea that they were good, but still the underdoggish role and fun to watch. They lost plenty of games but highlights were beating KU and Okie State in Hilton in 91-92.

So, I am a Cyclone convert. Plopped down into Ames in the Summer of 1989. The 1989-90 and 1990-1 seasons were t-o-u-g-h. However, that Hoiberg-Meyer-Michalik class from 1992-5 (until the Meyer injury) was FUN TO WATCH! So many great memories for me. I still remember the floor shaking during the Oklahoma State game in the 84-83 win (IIRC)! I was close to the floor in the parquet under the basket for that game.

Wood, you got them? They must be close. I'm getting a hard-on.

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Lord have mercy!

Hilton Magic is REAL!

 

[TClone99]

Simpler time. The games seemed like a bigger deal because they weren't all on TV. Hilton was better then for sure. You didn't have all the piped in music and in game ads breaking up momentum. Just the band and the crowd...and it was amazing.

That was also the selection show where Johnny let Vitale have it. Just awesome.

Also no social media (obviously) or even much sports talk radio. Just the newspaper, local television and your friends/relatives/co-workers discussing the teams. Kinda wild to think about now.