Iowa State basketball tops No. 1 Houston, wins Big 12 Tournament title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Iowa State had already emerged from the wilderness.  

Once more-to-back NCAA Occasion berths and a Sweet 16 repaired a variety of the hurt inflicted by the worst season in program historic previous that proceeded it. Cyclone basketball’s reputation was restored. 

Iowa State hadn’t, though, pretty returned to the earlier glory of the earlier decade, when the Cyclones had been a nationwide contender, profitable titles and possessing precise Final 4 aspirations. 

The Cyclones had been an outstanding story beneath head coach T.J. Otzelberger, nonetheless not somewhat extra all through the nationwide panorama. 

That changed Saturday evening time when Iowa State emphatically and triumphantly launched itself as undoubtedly one among many nation’s best teams. 

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The No. 8 Cyclones totally dismantled Houston, the nation’s top-ranked workers and regular-season conference champion, in a 69-41 victory to say the Big 12 Occasion championship. 

“The ceiling is the simplest workers inside the nation,” stage guard Tamin Lipsey acknowledged of the Cyclones. “Clearly, we merely took down Houston, who was the sooner No. 1 inside the nation. Clearly, our objective is a nationwide championship. 

“Everyone knows that there’s way more to go in March.”