Sunday, December 13th, 2015

Well today I'm writing about yet another Iowa State basketball victory, this time over the Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions, 78-64.  The game itself was probably a little closer than it should have been, but the outcome was never really in doubt.  Iowa State led by at least 10 points for most of the game, but they didn't exactly look like the nations #4 ranked team.  Part of it may have been that Naz Long sat out the game to rest his hips, and part of it was probably just a "hangover" after the team's emotional win against the rival Hawkeyes on Thursday.  Still, the Cyclones managed to have five players score in double figures: Jameel McKay (18), Matt Thomas (17), Monte Morris (12), Georges Niang (11), and Hallice Cooke (11).  I would say that Thomas was the player of the day again as he connected on 5 three pointers.

In case you were wondering, the Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions play in the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference).  Over the years I have actually seen the Cyclones defeat quite a few teams from the SWAC.  Let's see if I can name them:

• 2002 - Iowa State 90, Arkansas Pine Bluff 46.  This was one of the first basketball games that I can remember definitely going to at Iowa State.  I know I went to some earlier games as well, but I couldn't say for sure which ones.  Anyways, this game was memorable because Chris Alexander scored 25 points for the Cyclones.  He was on my floor when I was a freshman at ISU (just 3 doors down from mine I believe).  He had to sit out the first part of the season for some reason.  When the team played the Iowa Hawkeyes earlier in the year, he did not travel with the team to Iowa City.  The funny thing was that he actually came over to my room and watched the game with me on TV.  So I had a 7'1" Iowa State basketball player watching the ISU-Iowa game with me on my couch.  Haha.  The Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes that year, 73-69.
• 2011 - Iowa State 84, Prairie View A&M 59.  
• 2011 - Iowa State 67, Mississippi Valley State 65.  What I remember from that game was that Royce White had the flu and didn't play much at all.
• 2012 - Iowa State 82, Southern 59.  This was the season opener that year, and it was also the first regular season game that Georges Niang and Naz Long played as freshman.  
• 2012 - Iowa State 98, Alabama A&M 40.  Wow, a 58-point victory!
• 2014 - Iowa State 88, Southern 78.  
• 2014 - Iowa State 83, Mississippi Valley State 33.  
• Then of course today's game vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff

Go State!

Thursday, December 10th, 2015

IT'S A CYCLONE STATE!!

That's right.  Tonight my beloved Cyclones triumphed over evil, defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes, 83-82.  This seems like the most stressful basketball game that I have ever seen in Hilton Coliseum.  Not only was Iowa State trailing by 20 points in the second half, their hard-fought comeback was not enough to give them the lead at any point until roughly 9 seconds left to play when Monte Morris's floater put them on top.  After a missed last-second three pointer for the Hawkeyes, it was then time to celebrate.

In the first half, Iowa State could not find a way to stop Jarrod Uthoff from scoring (he had 30 points at halftime).  The only Cyclone to really play well in the first half was Matt Thomas, which is part of the reason why I would say he was the player of the game for Iowa State.  Thomas ended the game with 19 points (including 6 for 9 from three-point range).  He made a huge three pointer from the corner with less than a minute left which turned a 6 point lead for Iowa into a one-possession game.  As for Uthoff?  He disappeared in the second half and finished with 32 points for the game.

Thomas was joined in double-figures scoring for Iowa State by Monte Morris (20), Jameel McKay (20), and Georges Niang (16).  This was the second time that I have seen ISU play Iowa in basketball, the first or which was an 85-82 win for the Cyclones in 2013.

It's a Cyclone State!!

Monday, December 7th, 2015

#4 Iowa State Cyclones 84, Buffalo Bulls 63.

Iowa State remains a highly ranked team this week as they sit at #4 in the Associated Press and all the way up at #2 in the USA Today Coaches poll.  I still can't believe all the love the team is getting.

As for the game today, Jeremy Seago came with me for the first time this year.  Iowa State really didn't put the game out of reach until they went on an 11-0 run in the middle of the second half.  The Cyclones were led in scoring by Georges Niang, who tallied a career high 31 points to go along with 12 rebounds.  Niang shot 5-7 from three point range tonight.  He was joined in double figures by teammates Jameel McKay (13), Monte Morris (12), and Abdel Nader (10).

Next up for the Cyclones will be a clash with rival Iowa on Thursday night.

Iowa State controlled the tip-off against Buffalo.

Cyclones win!

Tuesday, December 1st, 2015

Today I ate bison for supper, and so did the basketball team.  You see, I ordered a bison and mushroom pizza from Jeff's Pizza (along with some smotharella sticks).  Nolan even ate about a half slice of pizza.  He didn't mind the bison, but he picked off the mushrooms.  Of course when I say the basketball team ate bison it was because they defeated the North Dakota State Bison by 20 points..,

#5 Iowa State 84, North Dakota State 64.

I would say that the player of the game for the Cyclones was Jameel McKay, who scored 15 points, pulled down a career best 19 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots.  He was joined in double figures by the other four Cyclone starters: Nader (21), Morris (18), Niang (15), and Naz Long (11).  There was one scary moment in the first half when Niang fell to the floor holding his leg and appeared to be injured.  This was before he had even scored a point in the game.  After going to the locker room to get checked out, he came back into the game after a few minutes and played well the rest of the night.

Go Cyclones!!

 
I also wanted to mention that Elizabeth, Nolan, and I traveled back to the farm this past weekend for Thanksgiving.  Amy and Brandon also came over from Omaha for the weekend.  It was fun to see everyone, and we even managed to see Terry, Deb, and great-grandpa Dick for lunch on Saturday.  We all went out for a pizza buffet at Godfather's in Spencer (I guess that we love pizza).  It was nice to have Dick get to see his great grandson for a little while because it's not very often that they are together.

My grandpa Dick, Nolan, and Elizabeth.

Monday, November 23rd, 2015

Well, I'm glad to say that basketball season is finally in full swing.  I'm ready for football to be over, especially now that news broke yesterday that Paul Rhoads will be fired at the end of the season.  But, anyways...

#4 IOWA STATE 83, CHATTANOOGA 63

Yes, that's right.  Iowa State is now ranked #4 in the nation in college basketball!  It's kind of crazy to me that they are so highly ranked. This is the highest that they have been ranked since the 1996-97 season, and as far as I know it's tied for the highest that they have ever been ranked.  I know they have a pretty good team this year (I would safely say top 15), but it's hard to say if they deserve that high of a ranking quite yet.

Naz Long was the player of the game for Iowa State tonight as he led the team with 24 points, including 6 three-pointers.  He was joined in double figures for Iowa State by Georges Niang (19), and Monte Morris (14).  As a team, the Cyclones connected on 14 of 29 three point attempts for a very good 48%.

Eben joined me again today for the game.  It's always nice to watch the game with family :)

Cyclones win, 83-63!

Tuesday, November 17th, 2015

Normally I try to blog about basketball games that I went to on the same night as the actual game to fit with the theme of my blog "note-o-the day".  I am making an exception now for yesterday's game between the Iowa State Cyclones and Chicago State Cougars.  I ended up taking Nolan to the game with me, along with Eben.  It was fun having three generations of Saltons in attendance for the same basketball game.  The game didn't start until 7:00, and we ended up staying for the whole thing.  By the time we got back home, I brushed Nolan's teeth, changed him, and read him a book, it was 10:00 (two hours past his normal bedtime).  The little man did pretty well considering I kept him up so late.  This marks the fifth men's basketball game that Nolan has witnessed at Hilton Coliseum, and it was the second consecutive game.

As for the game itself, it was a blowout win for the seventh-ranked Cyclones.  Jameel McKay was the player of the game for Iowa State as he scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  Included in his 25 points were a total of 10 dunks, mostly on alley-oops.  He was joined in double figures by teammates Abdel Nader (17), Monte Morris (14), Naz Long (14), Georges Niang (11), and Hallice Cooke (10).  This was the home opener for the Cyclones, and it was coach Steve Prohm's first regular season game in Ames.

One thing that I will remember about this game was the two technical fouls that Chicago State had.  Both happened immediately after they had made a three point basket... apparently for taunting or swearing at Iowa State.  I would have thought that they would learn their lesson after it happened once, but apparently not.

Three generations of Saltons with the scoreboard :)

It's nice to see dad smiling.

Go STATE!

Friday, November 6th, 2015

A little while ago Nolan and I just went to watch the Iowa State exhibition game vs. Grand Valley State at Hilton Coliseum.  We ended up leaving part way through the second half because it was getting past Nolan's bed time, but the game wasn't exactly close anyways... the Cyclones ended up winning by a score of 106-60.  Nolan was able to behave himself pretty well in the stadium.  Every time the ISU fight song came on he would clap along with everyone else.  He mainly just sat on my lap and looked at the crowd and all of the stimulating things to see.  He would point out Cy the mascot to me every once in a while.

I believe that this is the fourth ISU men's basketball game that Nolan has seen in person.  The first was vs. UMKC in 2013, his second game was the Melvin Ejim game vs. TCU, and his third game was the UMKC game in 2014.

Naz Long scored 20 points for Iowa State which included 6 for 7 from three point range.  He led a group of seven Cyclones that each scored in double figures.  I've been looking forward to Cyclone basketball all year as they should be a good team this season with seniors Georges Niang, Abdel Nader, Jameel McKay, and Naz Long to lead the way.  Iowa State enters the year ranked #7 by the AP and the USA today coache's polls.

Nolan sitting like a good boy in his seat waiting for the game to start,

Our view from section 216.