Sunday, November 18th, 2012

It's time for another blog post... this time yet again about basketball.  Tonight's game featured the Fighting Camels from Campbell University against our very own Iowa State Cyclones.  Once again Iowa State proved victorious, this time by a score of 88-68.  In case you're not familiar with Campbell, it is a coed Baptist university located in Biues Creek, North Carolina.  Their mascot is "Gaylord the Camel", and their enrollment is listed as 6,182.  They play in the Big South Conference

Anyways, I had never heard of Campbell before last year when they beat the Iowa Hawkeyes, 77-61.  That was great.  However, tonight was a completely different story for the good old Fighting Camels.  Chris Babb returned from his 3-game suspension for violating team rules and was one of 5 Cyclones to score in double figures.  It really was a well-balanced game scoring for ISU.  Tyrus McGee came off the bench to lead the team with 16 points.  Will Clyburn added 15, Melvin Ejim and Babb each had 13, and Niang had 11. 

Just about to tip off.

A view of the action in the second half.

Final score: ISU 88, Campbell 68.

Since I went by myself today, here I am trying to get a self-shot and the score in the background.

Notice that I've been starting to grow a beard.  It's part of "No-shave November" which all the guys are doing at my work as a way to raise money for the Salvation Army.  I may look like a homeless person, but it's kind of fun and different.

 

Monday, November 12th, 2012

I just got back from Hilton Coliseum where I was able to watch the Cyclones absolutely demolish the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 98-40.  Wow.  The 58-point margin of victory was the sixth-best ever in ISU's history.  This game was never in doubt... although at one point Iowa State was trailing 2-0.  I took my cousin David with me to the game, and even though it was a blowout we managed to enjoy ourselves.  Tyrus McGee led five Cyclones in double figures with 18 points.  Not really much to say about this one... the crowd never really was into the game, and really Alabama A&M was god awful.  This was not a test for our team at all. 

Iowa State wins the opening tip vs. Alabama A&M

Halftime score: ISU 41, Alabama A&M 14

David posing with the final score, 98-40.

This was the biggest win I've ever seen for ISU.

Friday, November 9th, 2012

Tonight Elizabeth & I just got back from watching Iowa State's 2012-2013 season opening victory over Southern University, 82-59.  I was curious to see how our new team would gel together now that we've lost Royce White to the NBA and welcome in a pair of transfers (Will Clyburn & Korie Lucious).  We've also added a couple of freshmen that look ready to see significant playing time this year in Naz Long and Georges Niang. 

The game itself started out very slow and sloppy for the Cyclones, as Southern surprisingly led by as many as 11 points in the first half.  It took a last-minute 3-pointer from Niang to put Iowa State on top at halftime 41-39.  Iowa State woke up in the second half and cruised to the 23-point victory, but it seems like there is quite a bit we need to work on.  Going 15-28 from the free throw line is a big one.  Turnovers another.  In the end though, I'll take the win.  Hopefully our new team can learn to work together more efficiently soon. 

The highlight of the game for me was propably a monster dunk that Will Clyburn had as he drove along the baseline in the second half.  Also there was a very odd bounce that Naz Long got late in the second half... he tossed up a wild lay-up attempt very high... it bounced up off of the top of the backboard... and ended up landing right through the hoop.  I wasn't sure that a ball was allowed to bounce off the top of the backboard, but I guess it counts.  Percy Gibson led the Cyclones with 17 points.

About to tip-off the 2012-13 season!

Halftime... 41-39 Cyclones.

Final score: Iowa State 82, Southern University 59.

 

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

This weekend was another one full of entertaining Cyclone athletics.  To start off on Saturday, Elizabeth and I got up early to tailgate with her sister, Rachael, and their cousins Karmin, Katie, and Alissa.  We probably got into the student lot around 7:45 or so (had to get there early since kickoff was at 11:00).  We set up a very nice tailgate complete with a big heater that we all huddeled around, a table for games, and a table with lots of food.  Elizabeth made breakfast burritos (sausage, egg, cheese, red & green peppers), we made Velveeta & rotel cheese dip, lots of chips, and one of the cousins brought a really tasty appetizer.  They were jalepeno halves which were stuffed with "little smokey" sausages, cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, skewered with a tooth pick, and then cooked.  Those were awesome.  I ended up going into the game with Tim Nevins while all of the ladies stayed out at the tailgate and had a fun time catching up. 

Today I countinued my Cyclone sports weekend by attending the men's exhibition game against Minnesota State.  While this game technically did not count, it was still fun to be at.  Iowa State started out the game strong, seemed to get complacent and let the Mavericks of Minnesota State back into it, and finally got their act together to win in blowout fashion (90-57).  I'm looking forward to the men's regular season games!!

The girls (from left to right: Alissa, Katie, Elizabeth, Rachael, and Karmin)  were getting ready for a nice "cousin picture" when all of a sudden... PHOTO BOMB! 

The band spells out CYCLONES before the game.

A shot of the action vs Oklahoma... sadly we lost the game 35-20.

Here is the view from my seats in section 216.  It's way up in a corner, but there really isn't a bad seat in Hilton.