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SPORTS SPECIAL. THE IOWA STATE CYCLONES VERSUS THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS LIVE FROM HILTON COLISEUM. THIS IS HOOPS HYSTERIA. OUR FANS ARE EXCITED. WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE AT OUR BEST. THIS IS A GAME THAT HAS. BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A LOT, A LOT OF YEARS NOW. WE JUST NEED TO CARRY FORWARD TOMORROW. AND HELLO EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO HILTON COLISEUM. WE ARE LESS THAN AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE BIGGEST GAME ON THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE NATIONALLY TODAY. IOWA STATE, KANSAS TWO TOP 25 TEAMS, 1230 TIP TIME HERE ON CASEY PSI. BUT WE’VE GOT HOOPS HYSTERIA FOR YOU. THE FANS BEEN CAMPING OUT FOR DAYS TO GET INSIDE THE BUILDING AND THEY ARE NOW HERE AMONG US AT HILTON COLISEUM. AND SO ARE WE. HI EVERYONE. SCOTT REISTER JEFF DUBROF SHANNON EARHART WITH YOU. AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DAY FOR A LONG TIME. YEAH, NOT JUST US. I WAS TALKING TO SOME FANS EARLIER. THEY STARTED CAMPING OUT FOR THIS GAME ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE KANSAS STATE TIPOFF. UM, BY THE WAY, THE ONLY TIME THESE TWO TEAMS PLAY THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE CROWDS JUICED UP FOR THIS ONE. OH, ABSOLUTELY. IT’S NOT IN PHOG ALLEN. IT’S RIGHT HERE IN HILTON COLISEUM. YOU KNOW, THE BIG 12 PROMISES PAIN IN THIS IS GOING TO BE A PAINFUL GAME BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMS. THEY HATE EACH OTHER. YEAH IT’S GOING TO BE A HEATED BATTLE. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THESE TWO TEAMS. THEY ALWAYS BRING IT IOWA STATE AND KANSAS. WHAT A MATCHUP WE HAVE SEVENTH RANKED JAYHAWKS 23RD RANKED CYCLONES A WIN TODAY FOR IOWA STATE WOULD BE HUGE IN THIS HEATED BIG 12 RACE. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE BEST. CONFERENCE IN AMERICA. JEFF IOWA. STATE AND KANSAS ARE IN A FOUR WAY TIE FOR SECOND PLACE. JUST A HALF GAME BEHIND TEXAS TECH. AND WHAT’S EXCITING IS TEXAS TECH PLAYS AT NUMBER 11. OKLAHOMA TODAY. SO IF TECH LOSES THE WINNER HERE TODAY WILL MOVE INTO FIRST PLACE. YEAH REALLY EXCITING. AND IOWA STATE HAS JUST BEEN ON A TEAR LATELY. THEY’VE WON FOUR OF THEIR LAST FIVE. THEIR. ONLY LOSS IN THAT STRETCH AT NUMBER 20 BYU. AND LOOK THEY DON’T LOSE IN THIS BUILDING. THEY BEAT KANSAS STATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. GIVE THE CYCLONES A 12 ZERO RECORD THROUGH TWO THIRDS OF THE HOME SITE HERE AT HILTON COLISEUM IOWA STATE AVERAGING 80.5 POINTS PER GAME. 48.4 FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE AND THEIR THREE POINT SHOOTING PERCENTAGE JUST OKAY. COULD COULD BE BETTER. EIGHT BEST IN THE BIG 12. AND THEY MAKE JUST UNDER 70% OF THEIR FREE THROWS. TODAY’S MONSTER MATCHUP WILL BE A TRUE TEST FOR THIS CYCLONE OFFENSE. KANSAS CANBY BEAT THE JAYHAWKS HAVE LOST TWO OF THEIR LAST THREE ROAD GAMES LAST SATURDAY, IT WAS UNRANKED WEST VIRGINIA THAT TOOK THEM OUT 9185. THEY ALSO LOST AT UCF. THEY BOUNCED BACK EARLIER IN THE WEEK, WINNING A GAME AT HOME AGAINST CINCINNATI, 7469. THE JAYHAWKS ARE AVERAGING AROUND. 79 POINTS PER GAME SO FAR THIS SEASON. SHOOTING JUST UNDER 51% FROM THE FIELD, 74% FROM THE CHARITY. STRIPE. KANSAS HAS SCORED 90 POINTS OR MORE OVER THEIR PAST TWO GAMES. IT’S AN OFFENSE THAT’S LOOKING GOOD AT THE MOMENT. YEAH, JEFF, THAT OFFENSE IS LETHAL, LIKE YOU SAID. AS WE GET CLOSER TO TIP, WHO’S MAKING THOSE SHOTS? I’LL TELL YOU SOME KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR. NUMBER 15 KEVIN MCCULLAR THE KANSAS GUARD, IS THEIR PRIMARY PLAYMAKER. HE’S SHOOTING ALMOST 50%, AVERAGING 20 POINTS PER GAME AND SIX REBOUNDS. YOU MAY RECOGNIZE HUNTER DICKINSON, WHO TRANSFERRED FROM MICHIGAN AT 7272. YOU GUYS. HE’S KU’S MOST RELIABLE OFFENSIVE WEAPON. HOW COULD HE NOT BE? AVERAGES 19 POINTS PER GAME IN 60% FROM THE FIELD. DICKINSON IS 11 BOARDS PER GAME. MAKES HIM THE FIFTH BEST REBOUNDER IN THE COUNTRY. DAJUAN HARRIS, JUNIOR. HE’S THE FLOOR GENERAL. HERE. HIS STATS DON’T POP OFF THE CHART, BUT THE PASS FIRST POINT GUARD WHEELS AND DEALS. HE AVERAGES ALMOST SEVEN ASSISTS A GAME, HARDLY EVER TURNING OVER THE BALL DOESN’T SHOOT A WHOLE LOT FOR IOWA STATE. IT’S NO SECRET DAVID LIPSKY IS IOWA’S MOST AVERAGING 14 POINTS PER GAME, FIVE REBOUNDS, THREE STEALS, SECOND MOST IN THE COUNTRY. WITH 44% FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE. REMEMBER, HE SUFFERED A SHOULDER INJURY LAST WEEK, BUT PRODUCTION DIDN’T DROP DRASTICALLY. BIG MAN ROB JONES HE’S UNBLOCKED A NEW LEVEL THIS SEASON. HE’S SCORING UP 50% FROM LAST SEASON, AVERAGING ALMOST NINE POINTS A GAME AND DRAINING 67% FROM THE FIELD AND CYCLONE FORWARD TREY KING. HE’S BEEN CLUTCH IN TRANSITION, SHOOTING 54% WITH NINE POINTS PER GAME IN FIVE REBOUNDS. KING HAS WORKED ON MAKING HIMSELF MORE DEPENDABLE FROM THE FREE. THROW LINE. THE BIG MAN WHO SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN THE PAINT IS SHOOTING 83% FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE. YEAH, TREY KING’S GOT A PHENOMENAL STORY. WE’RE GOING TO HEAR THAT FROM JEFF DUBROF. WHO YOU SPOKE TO HIM EARLIER AND I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR THAT. BUT I SAY FOR MY MONEY’S THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE CYCLONE DRINK TAMING LIPSEY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND DAMIAN LIPSEY HURT HIMSELF IN THAT BYU GAME, A SHOULDER SPRAIN. HOWEVER, HE DID RETURN TO ACTION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AGAINST KANSAS STATE. AND YOU SAID IT, SCOTT. HE IS THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE DRINK. YOU SAW HIM HAVE A NICE GAME. THREE REBOUNDS SIX ASSISTS EIGHT POINTS. BOX SCORE MAY NOT SAY MUCH, BUT HIS PRESENCE ON THE COURT MEANS SO MUCH THAN THE STATS. SUGGEST. WHILE COACH T.J. OTZELBERGER SAYS. IT WASN’T HIS BEST GAME, HE PUTS OUT THE BEST EFFORT NO MATTER WHAT. YEAH, I MEAN, TATUM’S A WARRIOR. I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HE’S AS TOUGH AS THEY COME, YOU KNOW? CERTAINLY WASN’T HIS BEST GAME. UH, BY ANY STRETCH. BUT, UM, HE’S A GUY THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF GAMES WHERE THEY’RE, THEY’RE PHYSICAL. CARL. UH, HE FINDS A WAY TO MAKE ENOUGH PLAYS. THE CYCLONES HAVE PULLED OFF SOME IMPRESSIVE WINS SO FAR THIS SEASON. AND SOME SHANNON HAPPENED RIGHT HERE ON HILTON COLISEUM’S FLOOR. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSTON WAS NUMBER TWO AT THE TIME. IOWA STATE KNOCKED THEM OFF. AND THEN JUST WEDNESDAY SIX ARGO NATION WAS HERE. THEY TOOK OUT THEN FIRST PLACE KANSAS STATE. JUST REALLY IMPRESSIVE WINS IOWA STATE PROVEN THEY CAN BEAT ANYBODY HERE. YEAH IT’S MUCH OF THE SAME FOR THE WOMEN’S SIDE. THEY SENT TWO PHENOMENAL TEAMS PACKING FIRST NUMBER. 24 WEST VIRGINIA 70 4064. AND THEN NUMBER FOUR BAYLOR 66 TO 63. IT’S BEEN A HECK OF A SEASON FOR THE WOMEN’S TEAM WITH HOW YOUNG THOSE PLAYERS ARE. AND I MEAN YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT BOTH IOWA STATE MEN AND WOMEN HERE IN AMES HAVE CONVINCING WINS. YOU COULD ARGUE HILTON COLISEUM IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST VENUES IN THE COUNTRY. DON’T BELIEVE IT. HILTON MAGIC IS ALMOST AS POWERFUL AS GOD. PROBABLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER CAME HERE WOULDN’T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. BUT IF YOU’VE BEEN HERE, IT GROWS WITH YOU. 14,500 UNHINGED CYCLONE FANS. YOU GET THE CROWD REALLY INVOLVED, AND THERE’S NOT REALLY A QUIET MOMENT UNLESS WE’RE ON OFFENSE AND JUST WEIRD THINGS SEEM TO HAPPEN WHEN WE’RE HERE AND JUST THERE’S NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN IT THAN HILTON MAGIC, HOWEVER LOUD YOU THINK IT CAN GET. HOWEVER MUCH ENERGY YOU THINK IT CAN HAVE DOUBLE IT AND THEN AFTER. YOU EXPERIENCE IT ONE TIME, DON’T EXPECT IT TO BE THAT LOUD. EXPECT IT TO BE LOUDER THE NEXT TIME. ANYBODY WHO’S GOT TO GO AGAINST IT, SORRY FOR YOU, BUT IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG NIGHT. HILTON MAGIC HAS FRUSTRATED OPPOSING TEAMS FOR DECADES. WHAT IS IT. GOING TO BE THE EASIEST OF THE THREE? WE HAVE. LEFT? YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A GREAT HOME COURT ADVANTAGE, IT IS THE EASIEST. FROM 1999 TO 2001, IOWA STATE WON 39 STRAIGHT GAMES AT HILTON COLISEUM, THE SECOND BEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT WAS BIG THEN AND I THINK IT’S NEVER IT’S NEVER CEASED TO BE BIG. THE CYCLONES ARE TRENDING IN THAT DIRECTION. ARDON. WITH A PERFECT 12 ZERO RECORD AT HOME THIS SEASON. AT HILTON, YOU COULD. ARGUE THE CLONES PLAY WITH A SIX MAN. IT’S NICE, ESPECIALLY ON THE DEFENSIVE END, TO HAVE A BUNCH OF NOISE WHERE THEY CAN’T REALLY RUN OFFENSE, CAN’T REALLY TALK THROUGH THINGS AND. AS SOON AS JUICY WIGGLE COMES ON HERE, YOU KNOW IT’S OVER. HILTON MAGIC SHOWS ITS POWER. GREATEST, MOST ENERGETIC, MOST HYPED SONG KNOWN TO CYCLONE NATION. AND WHEN WE PLAY A RIVAL, IT ONLY MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE ENERGETIC. THE CROWD GETS INTO IT AND THEY’RE INTO IT FOR A GOOD WHILE. AFTERWARD. AND WHEN YOU GET THE CROWD GOING, IT’S JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OPPOSING TEAM TO HEAR ANYTHING OR GET ANYTHING DONE. HILTON MAGIC IS SOMETHING EVEN MORE THAN LOUDNESS FOR HILTON, MAGIC IS HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU COME IN THIS HOUSE. WE SHOWED YOU FANS WHO HAVE CAMPED OUT FOR DAYS HERE AT HILTON COLISEUM. COULD YOU GUYS CALL THIS PLACE HOME? I GUESS SO, AND UP NEXT, WHY THEY CHEER. SAM, WHO? ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK TO HOOPS HYSTERIA HERE AT HILTON COLISEUM. AND CYCLONES JAYHAWKS COMING UP AT 1230. AND I SAY THE IOWA STATE CYCLONES HAVE THE PLAYERS TO GET IT DONE. JEFF. YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN PIECED TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS, ENHANCED BY TRANSFERS ALL COMING TOGETHER SORT OF A FAMILY. ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS THIS YEAR STARTING TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE. SCOTT THE JOURNEY HE’S TAKEN TO GET HERE. UH, ONE OF A KIND FOR IOWA STATE FORWARD TREY KING WILL. ALWAYS REMEMBER THE DAY IT WAS HARD. HE WAS TOLD HE COULDN’T PLAY BASKETBALL. I THINK WE WERE LIKE JUST FINISHING PRACTICE OR SOMETHING. AND WE’RE ABOUT TO DO WORKOUTS AND ALL THAT STUFF AND HE BROUGHT ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION WAS MADE AND THAT MY WAIVER WAS DENIED. KING WAS A TWO TIME TRANSFER. HE STARTED HIS CAREER AT EASTERN KENTUCKY. HE TRANSFERRED TO GEORGETOWN BEFORE LEAVING SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AND WOUND UP AT IOWA STATE. TRANSFERRED TWICE TO SIT OUT A YEAR THAT WAS THE RULE. TREY KING KNEW THE RISK. WHEN I CAME HERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE WAIVER PROCESS. I MEAN, WE KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT IT WASN’T GOING TO GO THROUGH, BUT IT DIDN’T NUMB THE PAIN OF SITTING OUT AN ENTIRE BASKETBALL SEASON. IT’S KIND OF LIKE, UM, WHEN YOU’RE LIKE, RIGHT NEXT TO LIKE, SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT, LIKE THAT PIECE OF CANDY OR DESSERT OR SOMETHING, LIKE YOU’RE JUST LIKE, RIGHT WITHIN YOUR GRASP. LIKE YOU JUST CAN’T REACH IT A FULL SEASON, NO GAMES, NO PLAYING TIME, NOTHING. IT DIDN’T STOP KING, HOWEVER. FROM DOING EVERYTHING HE COULD TO MAKE AN IMPACT. JUST TRYING TO BE A GREAT TEAMMATE, A GREAT CHEERLEADER, A GREAT ENCOURAGER. HE WOULDN’T BE ELIGIBLE UNTIL WINTER BREAK OF 2022. TREY KING WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE DAY MY FIRST GAME WAS DECEMBER. 18TH AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN. THE FEELING OF WAKING UP THAT MORNING. MAN, IT FELT LIKE CHRISTMAS DAY AND BIRTHDAYS AND EVERY GREAT HOLIDAY ALL ROLLED INTO ONE. KNOWING HE WAS ABOUT TO PLAY BASKETBALL AGAIN, THE GREATEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. AND HE’LL NEVER FORGET THE MOMENT THAT MY STOMACH DROPPED OF HAVING HIS NUMBER CALLED AND HAVING HIS FIRST COLLEGIATE BUCKET IN OVER A YEAR. WHERE DOES THAT MOMENT RANK IN KIND OF JUST YOUR PLAYING CAREER OF THINGS YOU’LL NEVER FORGET? HONESTLY, IT MIGHT BE NUMBER ONE. I CAN’T EVEN LIE. I MEAN, I REMEMBER THE EXACT PLAY THE OTHER WAY. DAMON, DRIVE LEAVES IT UNDERNEATH FOR TREY KING. AND A TWO HAND DUNK FOR TREY. HIS FIRST BUCKET AS A CYCLONE COMES OFF. A PRETTY ASSIST FROM DAMON LIPSEY. I’LL NEVER FORGET IT. A DUNK THAT HAD BEEN RULED A TEEN FOR KING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WAS ANYTHING BUT. IN THIS MOMENT. THIS WAS THE OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF HIS FRESH START. THE BEGINNING OF HIS NEWEST CHAPTER. DEFINITELY HAD HIS UPS AND HIS DOWNS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN IT’S BEEN SOMETHING WORTHWHILE. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. AND, UM, YOU KNOW. UM, THERE WAS A REASON WHY I HAD TO GO THROUGH IT. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE LESSONS THAT I GAINED FROM IT THAT I PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE LEARNED. AND IF I DIDN’T. SO, I MEAN, YEAH, IT WAS FRUSTRATING, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS AT THIS POINT. YOU KNOW, I’M JUST GRATEFUL THAT I EVEN GET TO PLAY THE GAME OF BASKETBALL AGAIN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE GAME CAN BE TAKEN FROM YOU, YOU KNOW, AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE. SO. NOW I’M JUST MORE APPRECIATIVE FOR FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE NOW AND FOR WHAT’S AHEAD. IT’S NOT CORNING HEALTH POLICY IS OR. YEAH, GREAT STORY OF TREY KING AND A GOOD AMOUNT OF SUCCESS THOUGH SCOTT HAS TO GO TO T.J. OTZELBERGER OF THE COACH. THIRD YEAR HERE. UH, TOOK OVER THE PROGRAM COMING OFF ONE OF ITS WORST YEARS IN HISTORY. YEAH, WORST YEAR FROM A CONFERENCE STANDPOINT. THREE YEARS AGO, COACH STEVE PROHM HAD THIS TEAM WINLESS IN THE BIG 12 AS THE BOTTOM FELL OUT. JAMIE POLLARD, THE AD HERE MADE THE CHANGE. AND HERE WE HAVE T.J. OTZELBERGER. STEPPING IN ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE THE MAN FOR THE JOB. ONCE HE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY. HE WAS A FORMER ASSISTANT. AT IOWA STATE AND THEN HE WENT ON AS AN ASSISTANT IN WASHINGTON, FOLLOWED BY, OF COURSE, TIME AT UNH, WHERE HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND LED THEM BACK. TJ NOW IN HIS THIRD YEAR, THEY MADE THE DANCE LAST TWO SEASONS. THEY’RE 56 AND 31 HERE AT IOWA STATE. THEY WERE PROJECTED FIVE SEED RIGHT NOW AS WELL. JEFF. YEAH. NOW TJ OBVIOUSLY THE CALLING CARD FOR HIS COACHING STYLE RELENTLESS DEFENSE. AND THEY HAVE ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE COUNTRY. UH, HIGH BALL PRESSURE TONS OF STEALS DRIVE OPPONENTS. CRAZY RIGHT? YEAH. WHEN. PEOPLE ARE PLAYING AGAINST IOWA STATE THEY ARE MISERABLE. I MEAN, THEY ATTACK THE BALL RELENTLESSLY. IT’S REALLY FUN TO WATCH. YEAH, IT REALLY IS. LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS RIGHT HERE. THE CYCLONES ONLY ALLOW 61 POINTS PER GAME. THEY ARE FIFTH IN STEALS PER GAME. 11.3. LAST WEEK THEY HAD 17 STEALS IN THE FIRST HALF. LIPSEY IS SECOND BEST IN THE COUNTRY IN STEALS PER GAME 3.2. AND WHEN IT COMES TO A CLOSE GAME DOWN THE STRETCH, THAT DEFENSIVE INTENSITY SCOTT IS EVERYTHING. UH, WHERE WE LIKE TO FOCUS OUR MENTAL, UH, ATTENTION IS ON THE DETAILS. DEFENSIVELY FINISHING PLAYS ON THE GLASS. AND THEN THAT TURNING INTO OFFENSE. SO I FEEL LIKE OUR GUYS YOU SEE A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE WHEN WE’RE ABLE TO DO THAT JOB THAN WHEN WE’RE AT A POINT IN THE GAME WHERE IT FEELS LIKE BASKETS ARE BEING TRADED. KANSAS COMPARED TO IOWA STATE’S DEFENSE OF RANKINGS, IS MUCH LOWER. THE JAYHAWKS, 98TH OVERALL IN STEALS PER GAME, JUST SEVEN. HOWEVER, IN REBOUNDS DEFENSIVELY, THE TEAM IS IN THE TOP 25. THAT’S HUNTER DICKINSON. DOWN LOW. THAT’S THE WORK HE DOES. 28 REBOUNDS PER GAME, SOMETHING THE CYCLONES ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO. RANKED 260TH. HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT TURNS. OUT TODAY. YEAH, THEY’RE GONNA HAVE TO DO BETTER FOR SURE. NOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PLAYING KANSAS, THE JAYHAWKS EIGHT OF NINE AGAINST THE CYCLONES. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT HERE AT HILTON COLISEUM, IT’S BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY. IOWA STATE FOUR OF THE LAST TEN, FOUR AND FIVE OVER THE LAST NINE. ACTUALLY, I SHOULD SAY. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, JEFF, THIS GAME LAST YEAR, 6853 HILTON MAGIC DID ITS THING. KU CAME IN RANKED EIGHTH. IOWA STATE. UNDEFEATED AT HOME. AND THEY STAYED THAT WAY. AMUND LIPSEY HAD TEN ASSISTS IN THE WIN. WHEN THE GAME IS AT HILTON OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, IOWA STATE IS FOUR AND FIVE. SINCE 2015, AND YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL SERIES, THOUGH, DATING BACK TO 1908, CLONES GOT SOME WORK TO DO. JEFF. YEAH, JUST A BIT, YOU’D SAY. JUST A BIT. UH, KU WON 90 AND 67 AGAINST THE CLONES. TIME TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK. THE PLAYERS CHANGE EVERY YEAR WHEN WE COME BACK. CURTIS JONES FROM HIGH SCHOOL HERO TO BASKETBALL ODYSSEY HOW HE GOT BACK. AND WE’LL ALSO CATCH UP WITH THE VOICE OF THE CYCLONES. WE ARE LESS THAN 45 MINUTES AWAY FROM WHAT FANS ARE ACTUALLY CALLING THE BIGGEST BATTLE IN THE BIG 12. IT CERTAINLY IS. AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE THAT ONE. I WOULD SAY NEWCOMER DREAMED OF BEING IN, EVEN THOUGH AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED PRETTY FAR AWAY. CURTIS JONES. WAS A STAR AT CRETIN-DERHAM HIGH SCHOOL. IN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA. HE EVEN HIT THIS GAME WINNING BUZZER BEATER TO WIN THE SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP. IT WAS HOPING THIS MAGICAL MOMENT WOULD LEAD TO DIVISION ONE LOOKS, BUT COVID. ENDED UP HAPPENING. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE PLAYED THE STATE TOURNAMENT, BUT THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN, SO I WAS HOPING I WOULD GET AN OFFER THERE. BUT SINCE WE DIDN’T PLAY IT, I DIDN’T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THAT. SO I HAD TO GO TO JUCO ROUTE AND INDIAN HILLS CAME IN KIND OF LATE. WHILE AT COMMUNITY. COLLEGE IN OTTUMWA, IT WAS ALL HOOPS. BEING IN THE SMALL TOWN COVID RULES, WE COULDN’T REALLY LIKE LEAVE THE ROOM AND STUFF LIKE THAT. JUST HAD TO GO TO PRACTICE AND, YOU KNOW, WIN GAMES. HIS ALL AROUND GAME SHINED IN THAT 2021 SEASON. 12.1 POINTS, SIX BOARDS AND FIVE AND A HALF ASSISTS. PER CONTEST. I ENDED UP WITH A FEW OFFERS OUT OF THERE. JONES WITH THE STEAL, STEP OVER, MOVE LAYUP. GOOD. JONES WOUND UP SIGNING WITH BUFFALO BUT BARELY GOT OFF THE BENCH HIS FIRST YEAR IN NEW YORK. I CAME IN, YOU KNOW, TO A SITUATION. WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF OTHER GUYS ON THE TEAM, SO IT WAS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO LEARN AND JUST GET ADJUSTED TO THE D1 GAME. OBVIOUSLY, THERE’S A DIFFERENCE PHYSICALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE I ADJUST AND FIGURE THINGS OUT, I REALLY FIGURE IT OUT. HE WENT FROM AVERAGING TWO AND A HALF POINTS TO 15 A GAME LAST YEAR AS A JUNIOR TO LEAD THE BUFFALO BULLS HAS WORKED HARD IN THE OFF SEASON. REALLY HARD. HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, I WAS A USED TO THE DIVISION ONE GAME NOW, GOT A LITTLE BIGGER. SO COACHES AND TEAMMATES, TRUST ME TO TAKE THAT STEP. CURTIS JONES TOOK A BUMP. SPINS IN THE LANE. RUNNER WILL FALL. TOP COLLEGES AROUND THE COUNTRY CAME CALLING OHIO STATE CLEMSON IOWA STATE. IT WAS LIKE MIND BLOWING TO ME REALLY. I HAVE A SCREENSHOT ON MY PHONE LIKE A ONE DAY ALL THE TEXTS THAT I GOT AND IT WAS FROM ALL THESE SCHOOLS THAT I’M JUST LIKE, WOW, IT KIND OF BLEW ME AWAY. IOWA STATE RECRUITED HIM THE HARDEST AND NOW. HE’S RIGHT AT HOME ON THE BIG STAGE IN THE BIG 12, QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF IOWA STATE’S BEST PLAYERS. HE’S AVERAGING OVER NINE POINTS A GAME. HE’S SECOND ON THE TEAM IN STEALS AND THIRD IN ASSIST. THE GUY. WHO ONCE HAD ZERO OFFERS PLAYS WITH A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER, ALWAYS TRYING TO PROVE HE BELONGS. BUT NOW THAT I’M HERE, YOU KNOW I’M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE AND TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY. HOW DO. YOU NOT ROOT FOR A GUY LIKE THAT? AWESOME STORY. AND NOW WE’RE JOINED BY JOHN WALTERS, VOICE OF THE CYCLONES IN HIS 21ST YEAR. THESE TRANSFERS COME TOGETHER, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TJ DOES IT, BUT THE CHEMISTRY THAT WE’VE SEEN FROM THEM REALLY SENSATIONAL. HOW DO YOU THINK THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO GEL. SO QUICKLY? I THINK IN TODAY’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOTT ROSTER MANAGEMENT IS EVERY BIT AS BIG A DEAL OF COACHING AS THERE IS. I MEAN, HOW YOU ASSEMBLE YOUR ROSTER CAN YOU FIND GUYS THAT ARE THE RIGHT FIT AND ARE GOING TO BUY INTO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND IN CURTIS JONES AND JACKSON PAVELETSKY KEYSHAWN GILBERT, TOO, HE’S BEEN ABLE TO FIND GUYS THAT REALLY ACCEPT WHAT THEY WANT FROM THEM AND WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS SYSTEM. LOOK AT AT KANSAS, HUNTER. DICKINSON 727. IS HE REALLY SEVEN TWO? I THINK SO, AT LEAST. YEAH, HE’S ALONE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, ROB JONES HASSAN WARD HAVE BOTH BEEN PLAYING REALLY WELL. I THINK THEY HAVE TO TRY TO WEAR OUT DICKINSON. THEY DON’T HAVE A PARTICULARLY DEEP. BENCH. SO I THINK IF THEY CAN REALLY KIND OF RUN THE FLOOR RIM RUN, USE THEIR ATHLETICISM TO KIND OF WEAR DOWN. WATKINS DICKINSON OVER THE COURSE OF A 40 MINUTE GAME. THAT’S HOW IOWA STATE KIND OF HAS TO APPROACH IT. BUT HE’S A LOAD AND ONCE HE CATCHES IT DOWN LOW YOU’RE NOT GOING TO STOP HIM. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU’VE SEEN FROM. IOWA STATE IN THE LAST COUPLE GAMES THAT THEY’VE GOT TO DO BETTER IN ORDER TO NOT JUST TO HANG WITH KANSAS, BUT TO BEAT A TOP TEAM IN THE NATION LIKE THE JAYHAWKS? I THINK SO I THINK THEY HAVE TO PUSH THEIR DEFENSE OUT. I THINK THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY AGGRESSIVE DEFENSIVELY. THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER IS FORCING TURNOVERS. THEY CAN DO THAT AND GET THIS CROWD INVOLVED. I THINK IT’LL BE A GREAT DAY. I DO NOT THINK THE CROWD WILL BE A PROBLEM. JEFF AND SHANNON. THEY’RE THE KEYS TO THE GAME FROM JOHN WALTERS NEXT. UH, WE’RE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT SOON. IF IT COMES TO FRUITION. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW WHO’S GONNA WIN THIS GAME TODAY. THERE’S A LOT ON THE LINE. IT COULD MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THE NCAA STANDINGS. WHAT? OUR PREDICTIONS ARE COMING UP SOON. WELCOME BACK TO HOOPS HYSTERIA. TIME FOR PREDICTIONS. I’M GOING WITH THE HOME TEAM IOWA STATE. WOO! YEAH! THERE YOU GO. I. THINK I HAVE TO AGREE I’M TAKING IOWA STATE IN THIS ONE 6760 DEFENSE PULLS IT OUT I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TREND I OH NO OH NO. 7473 CLOSE FAST IN TRANSITION I DON’T THINK KANSAS IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANG WITH THEM THE ENTIRE. TIME AS THEY MOVE THE BALL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. TWO WORDS MILAN MOMCILOVIC BIG GAME FOR THE FRESHMAN. WE’LL SEE THIBS INSIDE. COLLEGE BASKETBALL IS UP NEXT. THE GAME TIPS AT 1230 RIGHT HERE ON ����vlog