Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Iowa State Cyclones head coach Fred Hoiberg is a big deal in Ames, Iowa. His number “32” hangs high in the rafters in Hilton Coliseum. The hometown kid was a hometown favorite, going an impressive 53-10 in his career at home. It has been almost twenty years since Hoiberg last donned the cardinal and gold uniform, but “The Mayor” has rekindled the Hilton Magic.
Hoiberg has been the beneficiary of the Hilton Magic. Hilton Magic was a term coined in 1989 after Iowa State upset the then number three ranked Missouri Tigers 82-75. The Coliseum is designed specifically to trap noise inside, and is one of the reasons why Iowa State has one of the loudest basketball courts in the nation.
Hoiberg has had his fair share of success at home, but the first season was rough. The Cyclones finished dead last in the Big 12 with a team lacking active scholarship players. A slew of transfers would bring a team back into relevance in the Big 12. Hoiberg would go on to win the Big 12 Coach of the Year award in 2012.
The current success of Hoiberg’s program can be accredited to his success on home court. The Cyclones are 47-9 at home under coach Hoiberg. Win number 47 came against Texas A&M-CC on Tuesday night by a score of 80-50. Even in the absence of Melvin Ejim, Iowa State has still managed to have five players reach double figures this season.
The Cyclones are virtually unbeatable at Hilton Coliseum. The game on Tuesday night gave Hoiberg his 100th win at Hilton Coliseum (53 as a player and 47 as a coach). Win 101 will not be a cakewalk as the Cyclones square off against a top ten opponent in the form of the Michigan Wolverines Sunday night. Don’t be shocked if Hoiberg rekindles the Hilton Magic and notches his 101st victory at home Sunday.
Jack Dooley is a Big 12 Basketball writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @JackDooleyOCS.
