I drove over to Ames on Thursday. Friday morning we flew to Peoria and witness the women win the Regional Championship followed by the men dominating the field for another win. We also had the individual champions for both men and women. Those team wins count for two points each in the CyHawk series.
While the men were on the course, the women's basketball team opened the Preseason WNIT by absolutely destroying Niagara back home at Hilton in front of bus loads of kids who got out of school to cheer on the Twister Sisters. I had the Cyclones app going and was keeping our traveling party up to date with the score. It was never in doubt.
Following the Regionals we flew back to Ames in time to arrive at Johnny's as it opened for the men's game against Missouri. A nice win to put an exclamation point on the day with four wins in as many tries for Cyclone athletics.
Saturday was the brawl with Baylor and another satisfying win for football, making it 5 in a row. Later that evening the Volleyball team took care of business against West Virginia. Chalk up another perfect day with two more Cyclone victories.
Sunday started off with a dominating 37-3 win for the wrestling team over SIU-Edwardsville. The meet was held in Stephens Auditorium. If you've never been to a wrestling meet in Stephens, put it on your To-Do list for next year. It is a unique experience and the wrestlers seem to like taking the stage there. The meet wrapped up just in time for a short walk east to watch the second round of the Preseason WNIT as the women's basketball team took on Northern Illinois. Another perfect day with two more wins for the Cyclones.
Monday was yet another day in Ames with the men's basketball team taking on a tough Texas Southern and dispatching them by 12 points with Talen Horton-Tucker and Marial Shayok each going off for 26 points. Nick Weiler-Babb showed why we missed him so much last year by putting up a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. He also led the team with 5 assists which demonstrates how important he is to this team.
Tuesday was the final day of this extended weekend trip to Ames with the women playing a Preseason WNIT semi-final game against Auburn. President Leath was no where to be seen. The first half was one to forget with nothing going in and the team looking lost. We were down 38-29 going into the halftime locker room. At half the optimism was sapped from the sparse Tuesday night crowd of loyal fans. I don't think anyone expected anything like what was about to occur. The lid came off the basket in the 3rd quarter with Ashley Joens showing why she was so highly recruited. The quarter ended with the score tied and all the momentum favoring the Cyclones. The onslaught continued in the fourth and with time running short and the lead near double digits, it appeared all but over. Until it wasn't. Auburn hit three desperation threes in quick succession, the last with 41 seconds to play to grab the momentum back and set up a nerve racking finish. It didn't seem like it was meant to me when Bridget missed two from the line late in the game. But she more than made up for it with a late drive to the basket for two and swatting away the final shot at the other end to seal the comeback win.
All totaled, five days in Ames (with a side trip to Peoria) resulted in ten Iowa State victories and no losses. As fine a stretch of success as you'll ever see. And that even doesn't count the volleyball sweep of Oklahoma tonight in Norman. I could get used to this. Winning is fun. Winning a lot is intoxicating. Bring me another one!
While the men were on the course, the women's basketball team opened the Preseason WNIT by absolutely destroying Niagara back home at Hilton in front of bus loads of kids who got out of school to cheer on the Twister Sisters. I had the Cyclones app going and was keeping our traveling party up to date with the score. It was never in doubt.
Following the Regionals we flew back to Ames in time to arrive at Johnny's as it opened for the men's game against Missouri. A nice win to put an exclamation point on the day with four wins in as many tries for Cyclone athletics.
Saturday was the brawl with Baylor and another satisfying win for football, making it 5 in a row. Later that evening the Volleyball team took care of business against West Virginia. Chalk up another perfect day with two more Cyclone victories.
Sunday started off with a dominating 37-3 win for the wrestling team over SIU-Edwardsville. The meet was held in Stephens Auditorium. If you've never been to a wrestling meet in Stephens, put it on your To-Do list for next year. It is a unique experience and the wrestlers seem to like taking the stage there. The meet wrapped up just in time for a short walk east to watch the second round of the Preseason WNIT as the women's basketball team took on Northern Illinois. Another perfect day with two more wins for the Cyclones.
Monday was yet another day in Ames with the men's basketball team taking on a tough Texas Southern and dispatching them by 12 points with Talen Horton-Tucker and Marial Shayok each going off for 26 points. Nick Weiler-Babb showed why we missed him so much last year by putting up a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. He also led the team with 5 assists which demonstrates how important he is to this team.
Tuesday was the final day of this extended weekend trip to Ames with the women playing a Preseason WNIT semi-final game against Auburn. President Leath was no where to be seen. The first half was one to forget with nothing going in and the team looking lost. We were down 38-29 going into the halftime locker room. At half the optimism was sapped from the sparse Tuesday night crowd of loyal fans. I don't think anyone expected anything like what was about to occur. The lid came off the basket in the 3rd quarter with Ashley Joens showing why she was so highly recruited. The quarter ended with the score tied and all the momentum favoring the Cyclones. The onslaught continued in the fourth and with time running short and the lead near double digits, it appeared all but over. Until it wasn't. Auburn hit three desperation threes in quick succession, the last with 41 seconds to play to grab the momentum back and set up a nerve racking finish. It didn't seem like it was meant to me when Bridget missed two from the line late in the game. But she more than made up for it with a late drive to the basket for two and swatting away the final shot at the other end to seal the comeback win.
All totaled, five days in Ames (with a side trip to Peoria) resulted in ten Iowa State victories and no losses. As fine a stretch of success as you'll ever see. And that even doesn't count the volleyball sweep of Oklahoma tonight in Norman. I could get used to this. Winning is fun. Winning a lot is intoxicating. Bring me another one!
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