Wednesday, January 5th, 2022

 Woof.  I guess they say a win is a win, but tonight's game between #11 Iowa State and #25 Texas Tech sure did not look like a battle of top-25 teams.  At least not on offense.  The Cyclones managed to claw out a 51-47 win over the Red Raiders, mostly with defense.  The Cyclones shot only 15 percent from the field in the second half, but Izaiah Brockington made a huge four point play with just a couple of minutes remaining to regain the lead for ISU.  The Cyclones then managed to make their free throws to eek out the win.  The second half tonight is one of the ugliest halves of basketball that I have seen at Hilton.

Brockington (14) and Aljaz Kunc (13) were the only Cyclones that scored in double figures today.  I would say that Brockington was the player of the game for Iowa State, as he led the team in scoring, rebounds (9), and he made the big shot at the end.  

Tonight was the seventh time that I have seen Iowa State play Texas Tech in basketball, and I am happy to say that Iowa State has won all seven of those meetings.  The previous games were in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, and 2012.  

Saturday, January 1st, 2022

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Today I took Nolan with me to Hilton Coliseum, where we watched the #8 ranked Cyclones fight hard but eventually fall to the #1 ranked Baylor Bears, 77-72.  The Cyclones held their own and kept the game close, in spite of the fact that Iowa State shot only 1-14 from three point land.  Tristan Enaruna was the player of the game for Iowa State, as he led the team with 23 points and collected 8 rebounds.  He was joined in double figures scoring by Izaiah Brockington (18) and Tyrese Hunter (12).  Despite their loss, I still feel good about the prospects of this team for the rest of the season.

The crowd today was roudy, and it was fun to be back in that type of atmosphere in Hilton, since the past couple of years that has been lacking.  The last time I attended a game against the #1 ranked team in the country, the Cyclones defeated Oklahoma in 2016.  

Today's game was the 24th that Nolan has been to.  The last game I took him to was against Jackson State.  This was also the second time that Nolan has seen Iowa State play Baylor (2018 was the first).

As for myself, this was the sixth time that I have watched ISU play Baylor in basketball.  The previous times were losses in 2019 and 2015, and victories in 2018, 2017, and 2013.