2013-2014: Favorite Regular Season Game?

[Clone1138]

Cyclones.tv put out a fantastic recap of the regular season (although it doesn't include the fantastic OSU game from last Saturday) and it got me thinking about what my favorite game of the season was since there are several contenders.

Recap in case you haven't seen it:

[video=youtube;GBVkTwDThzg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVkTwDThzg&list=UUOzN9D4MUO5jYbCSEE2iYEA[/video]

I thought I'd see what other people's opinion's were on their favorite game of the season.

The Contenders:

ISU/Michigan 77-70 @ Hilton
Fantastic crowd and a terrific game with a huge early non-conference win over #7 Michigan. Featured Melvin Ejim's first appearance after being out the first few games to an injury as well as the final appearance of the great Johnny Orr. It was also **** Vitale's first ever game in Hilton and he had nothing but praise before, during and after.

ISU/BYU 90-88 @ BYU
A rough, physical game and the first true road test against a still-forming team. BYU is a hostile crowd to play in front of. After both Ejim and Kane fouled out (or were ejected), Niang carried the team to victory that had Edozie making a huge block in the final seconds and securing victory.

ISU/Iowa 85-82 @ Hilton
First the first time since 1987, both teams were ranked in the Top 25 and relevant. While Iowa led most of the game, the Cyclones battled until the final seconds that saw Mike Gesell miss two crucial free throws and allowed ISU to come away with the win. Fans witnessed Hilton Magic at it's finest as ISU proved that it's a Cyclone State afterall.

ISU/Oklahoma State 98-97 3OT @ OSU
The Cyclones managed to pull off an amazing 3OT win in Stillwater where an ISU team hasn't won since 1988. After Niang fouled out near the end of regulation, Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane led the team to victory in overtime. But the must clutch moment was when Naz Long drained a 3 at the end of the second overtime to tie up the game and force a third OT.

ISU/TCU 84-69 @ Hilton
Also known as Melvin Ejim Night. Ejim had a career night and set a new Big 12 record with his 48 points 18 rebounds performance, capped off with an amazing reverse dunk. After the game, Ejim finally was getting the attention from the national media that he deserved, leading to him being named B12 Player of the Year.

ISU/Oklahoma State 85-81 OT @ Hilton
In the final regular season game, we saw ISU go down by 16 points only to come back late in the second half and take the lead. But OSU would fight back and go up by 3 with 5 seconds remaining. After a rare FT miss by Phil Forte, Naz Long once again hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime where the Cyclones grinded out a win without Niang or Ejim after they both fouled out. And amazing home win to send the seniors off in style.

 

[cyclonedave25]

Oklahoma State 3OT thriller.

 

[Triggermv]

My vote is for the ISU/Michigan game. It just had too many things surrounding it not to give it the #1 vote (hype, Johnny Orr, Melvin coming back and tearing it up, close game, Both teams played well, **** Vitale, first big game of the season).

 

[CornFedIABoy]

Michigan, without a doubt. Johnny's last appearance in Hilton made it a more special event than any other game we've played this year. Ejim Night was second and Senior Night third.

 

[WooBadger18]

@OSU. It was an incredible game, and I got to see something happen that hadn't happened since before I was born.

 

[Gunnerclone]

@OSU, Fred slaying demons every day. Surprisingly my 2nd choice would have been @BYU, that game could (almost should) have been a huge letdown game, and it wasn't. The crowd, the eye gouge, the double birds, that is where the toughness was born, lose that game with those shenanigans and who knows where the season goes.

 

[FarminCy]

I stopped reading after I saw a close up of curly haired girl in the youtube preview picture.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I see deanvogs has voted.

 

[mitten1975]

I was surprised by the first OSU game, but astounded by the second. That three point shot took me so much by surprise, I had completely given up on the game, and had already switched to the misery mode.

 

[ISUChippewa]

All worthy choices, but @OSU for me.

 

[ianoconnor]

Michigan for me. It was the first big win of the year and really set the tone for the season. Plus I got to sit first row right behind the Michigan bench, which was awesome. Vitale and Orr made it special.

 

[Spam]

At home versus OSU. With 5 seconds left in regulation, we had no business winning that one. Senior Day, Hilton Magic!

 

[awd4cy]

@ Oklahoma State. Can't beat a huge road win and 15 extra minutes of good basketball.

 

[capitalcityguy]

@ OSU. Toughest, most impressive win on the slate.

 

[mcdrier]

What about the home win against Texas? I thought that game was our most complete game of the year...It was not as exciting, but being such an ISU fan, I like winning by 20 at times than sitting on pins and needles for a nip and tuck, tight game.

I think Mich. game set the tone for the year, if that game would have gone the other, I doubt we would have won at BYU, and who knows how Iowa would have came out.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I voted Michigan because I think that was a sign of things to come. I figured this would be a bit of a down year, and Michigan was a tall glass of Koolaid :yes:

Melvin's TCU game was a lot of fun to watch. A LOT of fun :yes:

 

[iowast8fan]

@OSU with Michigan coming in as a close 2nd.

While it was cool to see Ejim score like a machine, the TCU game was actually kind of boring to me.

 

[mjhavlo76]

The Oklahoma State victory at Stillwater is my favorite of the year. And quite honestly, ranks probably inside the top ten in history.

 

[CoKane]

Michigan, because it was the only one where I didn't get extremely ****** or got the feeling we had no chance of winning.

 

[heitclone]

While it didn't rank up with the games listed, the UNI game was a really great game too. That huge second half comeback was made even sweeter by the Hawk fans that rolled in after half time thinking they were walking in to an upset, they got a preview as to how a team finishes a 40 minute game, a concept they still haven't quite grasped.