Who? The Cyclones of Iowa State.
What? Since whirling masses of air are hard to depict in costume, Cy is a cardinal, derived from Iowa State's cardinal red. Cy was such an obvious name that 17 people submitted it when naming the mascot.
Where? Ames, Iowa, site of many of my eighth-grade math problems. I can only assume that my teacher was an alumnus.
When? Saturday the 19th, versus Marist in Durham.
Why? I'm not exactly sure whose puppy got kicked to set up the Durham pod, but Brian Giorgis and Bill Fennelly cannot be happy about it, especially Fennelly. "So wait. I get a 7 seed... and I have to play a gravely affronted 30-win Marist team... and then if I manage to get past them I get to play Duke at home?"
How? They were an at-large selection out of the Big XII.
Surprise? Nope.Who's driving this thing, anyway? Bill Fennelly, since 1995. Has a family predilection towards Twitter.
RPI: 34
SOS: 38
Record: 22-10 (9-7 Big XII)
Best win: Kansas State (A)
Worst loss: Missouri (A)
Notable results: TCU (W, N, 64-59), Oklahoma (L, A, 65-62)
Iowa State likes the three. No, I mean really likes the three. No, I mean "has shot only seventy fewer threes as a team than all of their opponents combined" likes the three. And led by the sharp-shooting of senior Kelsey Bolte, who's 43% from beyond the arc on 200 attempts, they hit them. This is an excellent reason why Bolte averages 16.9 points per game. Junior point guard Lauren Mansfield dishes over five assists per game in setting up the Iowa State shooters. Will they try to get good looks for 6-7 sophomore Anna Prins? Will she look to take them if they do?