The ISU men’s basketball team is NCAA tournament bound as the No. 3 seed in the tournament’s South Region. The first stop on the road to the Final Four is one ISU coach Fred Hoiberg knows well — Louisville, Ky.

Iowa State made the trek to the Bluegrass State in 2012, where the team earned its first NCAA tournament victory of the Hoiberg-era, beating UConn 77-64 in the first round. The Cyclones could not advance beyond the site, however, falling in their next contest to Kentucky by 16 points.

This time, the Wildcats won’t be waiting for the Cyclones in their own backyard — a fact Hoiberg said provides some relief. Hoiberg added that the familiarity of the venue and the well traveled ISU fan base, which provided Iowa State with crowd superiority in Kansas City, Mo., should again provide some advantages.

“Having played there a few years ago, it’s nice to go back somewhere where at least you’re a little bit familiar with it,” Hoiberg said. “I know our fans will travel. … They’ll be loud, they’ll be voicestrous, [and] they’ll help the economy in Louisville. It’s going to be great to see a lot of cardinal and gold down there.”

For the full story, check out the Iowa State Daily website.