There aren’t many college basketball teams with more excitement than the Iowa State Cyclones leading into the 2024-25 season. T.J. Otzelberger and the ‘Clones are coming off a 29-8 (13-5) season that ended with a loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16.
Iowa State opens up Big 12 play against Colorado on December 30, but the game following that matchup is already being circled by Big 12 fans across the country. On Saturday, January 4, the Cyclones will play host to the Baylor Bears.
Both teams are expected to be ranked inside the top seven of the Top 25 at the beginning of the season, and if they can handle their business in the nonconference, this matchup could pit two top-five teams against one another.
It’ll be a big night for Iowa State but in more ways than just one. On top of the high-profile matchup, the Cyclones will also take time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its back-to-back Big 12 basketball championship teams in 2000 and 2001.
As a release from Iowa State basketball explains, the Cyclones’ feat was not only unexpected but unprecedented at the time.
“The Iowa State Athletics Department will honor and pay tribute to two of the greatest men’s basketball teams in school history when members of the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 teams return for a reunion and special halftime recognition on Jan. 4 against Baylor,” the release reads. “Behind outstanding players and coaching, the Cyclones shocked the world 25 years ago with the first of back-to-back Big 12 regular-season titles, establishing a standard of excellence future Iowa State teams strive to match. It was the first conference title in men’s hoops in 55 years.”
Over those two years, Iowa State went a combined 57-11 overall and 27-5 in Big 12 play and ended both seasons ranked inside the AP Top 10, the 2000 team ending the year at No. 6. But, perhaps the most impressive feat was that ISU went a perfect 34-0 inside Hilton Coliseum over two seasons.
Jamaal Tinsley, one of the superstars of those teams, remembers fondly what it was like to protect the Hilton with perfection over that stretch.
“Well, that’s home (Hilton Coliseum), you always want to protect your home,” said Tinsley. “You never want to let games get away from you at home. You always want to protect the cookie jar. We were fortunate enough to win a lot of games at home, and that gave us a good opportunity to go out and win a lot of games on the road, too.”
