Iowa State has become quite the basketball school. Sure, our fine football team has made trips to consecutive bowl games. And we have Cael Sanderson, arguably the greatest collegiate wrestler ever to set foot on a mat. Several ISU sports have become powerhouses in the Big 12, and some are becoming powerhouses beyond the conference.

But when push comes to shove, it is the basketball programs at Iowa State that get a lot of attention. And rightfully so. Both the men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed great success the last several years.

This March, we won’t have the fortune of seeing the men’s program make another run in the NCAA tournament, which is unfortunate, especially considering their early and untimely exit at the hands of Hampton last year.

However, the women’s program has again shown us all that we, as ISU students, have something to be proud of. The team, making its sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, is a bona fide contender and is poised to make a splash in the NCAA tournament. Led by a core trio of great players, they have been a top 10 team virtually all year long, falling out of the nation’s elite only after a couple of tough losses to high-quality teams.

And, as a reward, the Iowa State women will host the first- and second-round games of the NCAA tournament. Saturday and Monday, the Midwest Region matchups are in Ames, where No. 3 seed Iowa State will face No. 14 seed Temple Saturday at 9:06. If they win, they will play Monday, again in Ames, against the winner of the Florida-Brigham Young game.

For those of you keeping track, that’s five consecutive years Iowa State has hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. Not a small feat. Outside of perennial powerhouses like Tennessee and Connecticut, there aren’t many programs in the nation that can boast a similar accomplishment. And, if all goes according to plan, Iowa State will play four straight tournament games at home.

Hilton Coliseum will be the host site for the Midwest Regional game. This gives the Cyclones an unbelievable advantage. Iowa State has five of the top 10 attendance records for Midwest Region first-round games, in addition to owning the top four for second-round games. Iowa State’s seniors have a combined career home record of 57-4; if they win four more, they’re in the Final Four.

Sometimes, men’s sports get more attention than women’s. Just watch “SportsCenter.” Both men’s and women’s brackets were announced the same day. Yet, an overwhelming majority of coverage on “SportsCenter” went to the men’s games. Outside of a few references to undefeated Connecticut, you won’t hear much about the women’s tourney. Take it to heart that this is different here at Iowa State.

Try to get tickets. Go see the women play their way deep into the tournament. And, if you can’t make it to the game, support the Cyclones from home. The men may be done early, but there’s another basketball team from Iowa State still playing this time of year.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver, Omar Tesdell