AMES – The Cy-Hawk rivalry is rooted in deep tradition across many sports. While the football game is viewed as the most important, and pays the most points for the overall series win, the men’s basketball game is always circled on every fan’s calendars.
“There’s been so many great games, ones that the energy, the emotion, the passion is super high,” Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Our guys understand how important this is.”
The first matchup happened all the way back in 1910, which saw Iowa win 30-27. Since then, the Cyclones and Hawkeyes have played 77 total times, with Iowa leading the series 48-29.
In recent years, the series has been more competitive. Iowa State and Iowa have each won five of the last 10 games.
Across those 10 games, the home team has gotten the win eight times. Throughout the entire series, the home team has won 53 times out of the 77 games between the schools.
This season, the Cy-Hawk battle rolls into Iowa City, where Iowa took down Iowa State, in dominant fashion, 75-56 in 2022. It’s a game Cyclone guard Tamin Lipsey doesn’t like to think about.
“[Lipsey], he said it was kind of a blur,” Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic said. “Just because they got blown out right away. He said it was just an ugly game and he doesn’t want to remember it.”
The Cyclones returned the favor in Ames last year, beating the Hawkeyes 90-65. Lopsided contests have ruled the recent games.
In fact, the series has not had a game won by single digits since Iowa State won 84-78 at home in 2017.
Most of that stems from early runs. Whoever jumps out to a lead first tends to hold it and win in recent years.
“Both teams are gonna come out wanting to kill the other team,” Lipsey said.
That cutthroat energy is what makes this rivalry special. Lipsey, being that he is from Ames and grew up watching this game, has been a leader in making sure his teammates understand what is at stake when Iowa and Iowa State play.
“A lot of them had no clue about it,” Lipsey said. “It’s a big deal in every sport we have.”
Momcilovic got to experience the rivalry for the first time last season. It’s a game that he knows people are buzzing about.
“You always hear about a couple games,” Momcilovic said. “This game, Kansas, I think that those are the two biggest games people on campus talk about.”
This game has had its share of memorable moments, from Iowa State’s Georges Niang’s kiss to the Iowa crowd in 2014, to Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon signing and leaving his shoes on the floor at Hilton Coliseum in 2019.
Whatever the moment may be, this game always brings out the passion in both Cyclone and Hawkeye fans alike. This game is special and epitomizes what sports and college basketball are all about.
Momcilovic learned a lot from last season’s matchup and is looking forward to what the Iowa crowd has in store in a couple of days.
“I learned that it’s gonna be a sellout,” Momcilovic said. “I’ve never been there, to that arena, so it’s gonna be cool.”
