Iowa State basketball finds itself in a wonderful position.

Both our women’s and men’s teams have made it to the Sweet 16, though each took very different paths. The women lived up to the hype and were extremely competitive in a difficult conference, and the men defied all odds and put together one of the most impressive season-to-season turnarounds the sport has seen.

It is important to appreciate the success and greatness that we are getting to witness and experience.

There are 350 men’s and 351 women’s basketball teams, all gunning for the positions we are in right now. The fact that we have a team still competing in each tournament is incredible, but it’s not by accident.

Each had at least four top-25 wins, beat our in-state rival and played in one of, if not the toughest conferences in the NCAA. It was a grueling and impressive journey. 

But there were also people behind those teams. Each win is powered by a student that is balancing their workouts, travel and school 24/7 for our entertainment. It is a lifestyle that I can imagine is both rewarding and exhausting.  

Most of all, just enjoy this however long it lasts. Watching your sports team succeed is one of the most enjoyable things out there. Brag about them, cheer loudly for them and go Cyclones!