Iowa State Daily (NCAA Tournament March 28, 2014) Iowa State Daily
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Iowa State Daily, March 2014 Iowa State Daily, 2014 3-28-2014 Iowa State Daily (NCAA Tournament March 28, 2014) Iowa State Daily Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastatedaily_2014-03 Part of the Higher Education Commons, and the Journalism Studies Commons Recommended Citation Iowa State Daily, "Iowa State Daily (NCAA Tournament March 28, 2014)" (2014). Iowa State Daily, March 2014. 13. http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastatedaily_2014-03/13 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State Daily, 2014 at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State Daily, March 2014 by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MARCH 28, 2014 TOURNAMENT SWEET 16 IOWA STATE vs. CONNETICUT 2B | SPORTS | Iowa State Daily | Friday, March 28, 2014 Editor: Alex Halsted | [email protected] The sweetest HOMECOMING Hogue’s dream becomes reality in New York City By Alex.Halsted @iowastatedaily.com NEW YORK — Dustin Hogue couldn’t hold it back. A wide smile crossed his face as he glanced out through the tunnel and saw for the first time what he had always dreamed of. As he took each subsequent step to- ward the court for Iowa State’s practice, Hogue spread his arms to take it in. He stood at mid-court, his arms apart and looked around at Madison Square Garden, the place he’d always wanted to be. “To actually have this opportu- nity is kind of crazy to me,” Hogue said. “Everybody wants to play in the Garden, and to actually have the chance to come back and play here … I never thought I actually would be here in the Garden playing.” Hogue grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. as a New York Knicks fan. He would watch games on television with family and friends and he would dream. Maybe, he thought, one day he could play at The World’s Most Famous Arena. From time to time, Hogue and his childhood friends would make the 30-min- ute or so commute into Manhattan. They would walk past Madison Square Garden and look up at the structure in wonder. Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily “One day,” Hogue would say, “we’re Junior Dustin Hogue embraces assistant coach Matt Abdelmassih after the Cyclones beat the North Carolina Tar Heels 85-83 clinching their going to get there.” birth into the Sweet 16 on Sunday. Hogue fouled out of the game after scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Yet Hogue never went. He wanted to catch a Knicks game, but the opportunity Throughout his first season, Hogue never presented itself. When the Cyclones has become Iowa State’s physical pres- were put into the East Regional of the ence, falling to the ground and grabbing NCAA tournament this season as a No. 3 rebounds while averaging 10.9 points and seed, the opportunity was open. 8.5 rebounds per game entering the Sweet Iowa State pushed past North 16. Carolina Central in the second round in His toughness on the court, he says, San Antonio, moving to being one game stems from New York, where he played at away from the Sweet 16 and New York local YMCAs and the famous Rucker Park City. Hogue received a handful of text while growing up. messages seeking tickets if the Cyclones “It’s always tough basketball,” Hogue advanced. said. “I’m the energetic guy on the court As Hogue and assistant coach Matt now, but growing up there were hundreds Abdelmassih, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., of me everywhere.” hugged after a two-point victory against Only one will play in the Sweet 16 on North Carolina just more than a day lat- Friday night. er, he said in Hogue’s ear, “We’re going “It’s going to be an emotional night home.” I’m sure when his name is called on these The Cyclones were in the Sweet 16 loud speakers,” said Abdelmassih, who Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily for the fourth time in school history, and has been to the Garden hundreds of times. Junior Percy Gibson, left, and junior Dustin Hogue share a smile during the Cyclones’ open Hogue’s phone began to buzz in the lock- “Because these are the most famous loud practice Thursday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. er room. The text message count seeking speakers in the world.” tickets reached 155. When the buzzer sounded to end “I’m not going to be able to get ev- Iowa State’s practice and the court erybody tickets,” said Hogue, who has cleared, Hogue posed for a photo under To actually have the chance to bargained with teammates to increase the hoop. He picked up a ball and dunked his 15-ticket allotment. “It’s going to be a one final time. tough draft pick for these tickets.” As he walked back toward the tunnel, play here like I dreamed of as a kid, Hogue, a 6-foot-6 forward transfer his smile was still there. Finally, just as he “ from Indian Hills Community College, told his friends many years ago, Hogue burst onto the scene in his first season at had made it to Madison Square Garden. Iowa State. He started from Day 1 and fin- “It’s beautiful, man,” Hogue said. “My IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE.” ished the regular season tied for second in shot is money. It’s the home court advan- — DUSTIN HOUGE rebounding in the Big 12. tage or something.” Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily ISU coach Fred Hoiberg answers questions from media during Iowa State’s press conference Sat- UConn head coach Kevin Ollie watches his team practice Thursday at Madison Square Garden urday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Hoiberg set to face former teammate in Friday’s game. in New York City. Ollie is a former NBA teammate of Hoiberg from the Chicago Bulls. Hoiberg to encounter longtime friend on Connecticut bench scholarship available to greatest teammates I have guy. Friday in the Sweet 16 at fense. We try to go to dif- UConn coach to hand out and he looked at ever been around,” Ollie The first guyMadison Square Garden. ferent matchups. I look at face off against both of them. said of Hoiberg in New Minnesota called was Hoiberg has found him, and he took the job at “The first one who ac- York on Thursday before Ollie. success in his first four Iowa State and just filled in NBA teammate cepts gets it,” Olson told the Sweet 16. “Personable, “He allowed me to be seasons coaching colle- those shoes and just took it them. would do anything for his a 37-year-old point guard, giately at Iowa State, ad- to another level. I’m a big for first time In the end, neither teammates.” to get another year in vancing to three-straight fan of Fred’s.” accepted, as Hoiberg in- When Hoiberg was the NBA, which is always NCAA tournaments. They’re big fans of By Alex.Halsted stead chose to play for his forced to retire from the good,” Ollie said. “He did a Ollie has found simi- each other, ever since that @iowastatedaily.com hometown Cyclones and NBA early after 10 seasons lot in my life.” lar success in his second day in Arizona. Ollie decided to play at because of an enlarged “He owes me,” season at his alma mater, “Listen, Kevin and I NEW YORK — Fred Connecticut. aortic root in his heart, Hoiberg said jokingly, reaching the Sweet 16 af- weren’t very good players,” Hoiberg and Kevin Ollie Ten years later in he became an assistant “because I resurrected his ter the Huskies failed to Hoiberg said. “But to stick stood together in Tucson, Chicago, the two found general manager with the damn career.” make the tournament last around, me for 10, him for Ariz. two decades ago themselves together again. Minnesota Timberwolves. The two were back in season. 13 years [in the NBA], you as young teenagers and They were 29 years old and In 2008, the the same setting Thursday “Just with our NBA ex- have to have some of those strangers. playing for the Chicago Timberwolves were in as their teams — Iowa perience, I think we coach qualities to stick: a work Arizona basketball Bulls. need of a veteran, and State and Connecticut the same,” Ollie said. “We ethic, good teammate and coach Lute Olson had a “He was just one of the Hoiberg knew the perfect — prepared to square off try to manipulate the de- that’s what Kevin was.” Editor: Alex Halsted | [email protected] | 515.294.2003 Friday, March 28, 2014 | Iowa State Daily | SPORTS | 3B Monte Morris ‘ready for the bright lights’ Mentor speaks about Morris’ ability to play on ‘biggest of stages’ By Dean.Berhow-Goll @iowastatedaily.com NEW YORK — As Monte Morris had the rare taste of losing in his mouth while walking off the court, having lost in the state championship as a soph- omore, one of his idols pulled him aside. It was Mateen Cleaves, a former three-time All- American for Michigan State who chose then and there to become the young man’s mentor. The two exchanging numbers sparked what would be one of the most important moments of Morris’ young development. Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily “He called me about a Freshman guard Monte Morris goes for a layup during the week after that and asked second-round NCAA tournament game against North Carolina if I want to get in the gym, Central.