‘We believe’: How Kansas State made history with road upset over No. 3 Iowa State
This was the type of upset that makes college basketball so popular.
Kansas State made history on Saturday when it defeated No. 3 Iowa State 80-61 in front of a sellout crowd at Hilton Coliseum. It was the first time (ever) that a team with a losing record went on the road and beat a top-5 team by more than 15 points, according to ESPN research. It was also the largest road win K-State has (ever) produced against a top-five opponent.
A few more fun facts:
- K-State was on a 15-game road losing streak that dated back to last season.
- Iowa State was on a 29-game home winning streak.
- The Cyclones were favored by 16.5 points.
Few, if any, gave the Wildcats a chance even though they were showing signs of improvement and they were coming off two wins in a row.
In the end, that just made this victory all the more satisfying for a team that had something to prove.
“It shows how resilient we are and how capable we are,” K-State point guard Dug McDaniel said after he led the Wildcats with 20 points and five assists. “Not many people may believe in us, but we show up every day at practice and we believe. We brought that fight here today.”
It may be time to start taking the Wildcats (10-11, 4-6 Big 12) seriously, even though they still have a losing record.
They have shaken off a dismal start and they are beginning to play like a quality team. The Wildcats have won three straight games, with all three victories coming by large margins. They got things heading in the right direction with a 73-60 win over West Virginia. Then they crushed Oklahoma State 85-57. And now they have a signature victory over No. 3 Iowa State (17-4, 7-3 Big 12) that will turn heads across the sport.
Hope has returned to the K-State locker room.
“You are starting to see guys really believe we can do this,” K-State guard Brendan Hausen said. “Life is all about ups and downs. It’s about how you respond in the toughest of times. You’re seeing that right now. So I’m very proud of my guys for coming out here tonight and building off these last few weeks. We are just staying together.”
The Wildcats began this turnaround after they suffered a humbling 30-point home loss against Houston.
K-State players showed up to practice the following day and ran around with something to prove. Outsiders assumed their season was over. But the Wildcats still had plenty to play for. They proved they were heading in the right direction with close calls against Texas Tech, Kansas and Baylor. But no wins.
Now they have found validation.
“I feel like we’ve been fully capable of winning games all year,” K-State forward Coleman Hawkins said after he scored 17 points against Iowa State. “It’s just the flip side of it being a win. In some of our games the validation came in a half, and we just haven’t been able to put it together for a full 40 minutes. But I think we’ve proven the last three games we can do it.”
K-State won this game by showing resolve in the early moments by not crumbling when Iowa State jumped out to a 13-4 lead. The Wildcats fought back after a timeout from Jerome Tang and immediately took the lead. They were even able to hold onto it at halftime 37-35 as McDaniel battled foul trouble.
Then they raced to a 19-point lead and put real pressure on Iowa State. The Cyclones battled back and cut the deficit to single digits and the home crowd went bonkers. It seemed like the Cyclones might pull off a comeback. But the Wildcats stayed calm and quieted the fans with clutch plays.
Turns out they enjoy being villains.
“Who doesn’t love coming into a place like this with everyone cheering against you,” Hausen said. “It’s the best. It’s why we do this ... to come in here and silence the crowd and watch people walk out, it’s pretty fun. I’m just proud of our guys for sticking together, because we knew this would be a tough task.”
Winning a game like this was difficult for K-State. But it wasn’t impossible like some assumed.
The Wildcats have believed in themselves for several weeks. Perhaps now others will do the same.
This story was originally published February 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM with the headline "‘We believe’: How Kansas State made history with road upset over No. 3 Iowa State."