WILLIAMS: Meet J.R. Blount, Iowa State’s other Milwaukee guy who has been critical to program’s turnaround

Milwaukee native Walter Blount Jr., left, daps Pewaukee guard Nick Janowski after Pewaukee advanced to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament. Blount is an assistant coach at Iowa State and is preparing to take on LSU at Fiserv Forum on Friday.



MILWAUKEE, Wis. — When Iowa State learned of its NCAA Tournament fate last Sunday, attention was immediately placed on the storyline of head coach T.J. Otzelberger and rising star point guard Tyrese Hunter going home to dance. 



The two shared a moment on camera, with Coach pointing at the TV, telling Hunter, “You ready to go to Milwaukee?”



The often intense Otzleberger even smiled. It was nice.



These are phenomenal stories, and easy content for us hacks in the media to drool over for a week, which we have.



Meanwhile, a Milwaukee hoops legend who has been crucial to Iowa State basketball’s resurgence lurked in the background, not garnering much buzz. 



That’s generally how assistant coach JR...


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  • Poll
Do You Work Th/Fr of March Madness

Work Schedule: Thursday - Friday

  • Use Vacation/PTO

    Votes: 34 35.1%
  • Make up an excuse to miss work

    Votes: 2 2.1%
  • Work from home / watch games

    Votes: 29 29.9%
  • Only take off if ISU is playing

    Votes: 4 4.1%
  • Go into work & follow on phone/comp

    Votes: 20 20.6%
  • Work better cause lack of flexibility to take time off

    Votes: 4 4.1%
  • Work because don’t care enough to take time off

    Votes: 4 4.1%

Wondering how everyone handles these two days. I always just take the two days off, but I know not everyone has that luxury - or don’t care enough to do that.

NOTEBOOK - Storylines to follow

I decided to write up some storylines I thought were important and also just fun nuggets for this weekend.

Which state has the most teams in the Women's NCAA BB tournament?

Guess which state has the most teams in the Women's NCAA BB tournament? Don't count them or look them up. Just make a guess based on your gut after completing your brackets.

Florida with 6 (which includes one in a play-in game). Texas is next with 5 (including one in a play-in game). Then North Carolina, Georgia, and Indiana with 3. Fifteen states have 2. The Women's distribution includes DC and 3 more states than the Men's.

Which State has the most teams in the Men's NCAA BB tournament?

Guess which state has the most teams in the Men's NCAA BB tournament? Don't count them or look them up. Just make a guess based on your gut after completing your brackets.

Both Texas and California have 6, but Texas has a 7th that lost in the play-in game. Virginia and Alabama are next with 4. Then comes Tennessee, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Ohio with 3.

CFTV: Conditt appreciative of second NCAA Tournament berth

Video from Iowa State's arrival in Milwaukee.

Recruiting: Tamin Lipsey the Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa

Scouting LSU's long and athletic personnel

Quotes from T.J. and some analysis from me.

Cyclones hungry for long tournament run

Kunc and Conditt speak on Iowa State's veterans' excitement to be in the big dance.

***NCAA WBB: First Four at Hilton (Wednesday)***

(11) Dayton (25-5) vs. (11) DePaul (22-10)
Wednesday, March 16, 8 p.m.
Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa

Tickets: $15 (separate from regular all-session tickets)

TV: ESPNU (Jenn Hildreth, Mike Thibault)

Winner advances to face (6) Georgia, Friday night at 6:30.

Dayton | Dayton Preview
*25-5 overall
*14-1 A-10 (regular-season champ)
*Lost to UMass (ISU opponent) in A-10 finals
*Head Coach Shauna (Geronzin) Green is a native of Clinton, Iowa, and also coached at Loras
*Former Cyclone Emily Durr on staff

DePaul | DePaul Preview
*22-10 overall
*14-6 Big East (4th)
*Lost to Marquette in Big East quarterfinals
*DNQ in 2021; played in Hilton in 2019 NCAA
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