‘Hilton Magic’ once again pivotal for Iowa State basketball in navigating the Big 12

AMES – The Big 12 promises pain. 

The best men’s basketball conference in the country guarantees a rough-and-tumble, grinding and punishing 18-game slate every single winter. From that, there is no hiding. 

There can be refuge, though. Or at least the closest thing to it amid a storm of Hall of Fame coaches, NBA prospects and elite athletes. 

For Iowa State, that has long been Hilton Coliseum, and, once again, it appears that imposing building will be the Cyclones’ best chance to maximize their season and make a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. 

“Absolutely,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Totally true. One-hundred percent.” 

More: Iowa State basketball loses Big 12 opener to No. 11 Oklahoma

The Cyclones (11-3, 0-1 Big 12), Hilton Coliseum and the fans who visit the facility will face an immediate and daunting task Tuesday (6 p.m.; ESPN2) when the nation’s lone undefeated team, second-ranked Houston, visits for the Big 12 home opener. 

“We’re fortunate to have an unbelievable fan base, an unbelievable home-court advantage,” Otzelberger said. “We need to take advantage of that.” 

Iowa State’s home-court advantage – Hilton Magic – has always been among the Big 12’s and nation’s best, and it has often been key to the Cyclones’ success with sold-out and raucous crowds making it an intolerable arena for opponents. 

That may be truer now than at any time in the last decade with the Big 12 swelling to 14 teams and abandoning the round-robin schedule it had adopted as a 10-team league. With an unbalanced schedule, protecting home floor can give a team an edge regardless of opponent. 

“What we do control is that we have nine league games at Hilton,” Otzelberger said, “and one at a time we need to come with great focus, great intent, competitive spirit and get the job done.” 

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger talks about 3-point defense

T.J. Otzelberger discusses his team’s 3-point defense following a loss at Oklahoma

Hilton Magic may have been born during Johnny Orr’s tenure beginning in the 1980s, but it perhaps reached the height of its powers during the program’s golden age of the previous decade, ushered in by Orr’s former player, Fred Hoiberg. 

In Hoiberg’s final four years at Iowa State – all NCAA Tournament teams – the Cyclones went 32-4 in Big 12 home games, never losing multiple games in a single season. 

When Hoiberg’s successor, Steve Prohm, had his greatest success, it continued that tradition. Prohm’s first two teams both went 7-2 in league games at home, but as they later struggled to continue that dominance, his success waned. 

Prohm went 14-22 at home vs. the Big 12 in his final four seasons at Iowa State in which he made just one NCAA Tournament. Even removing the 0-9 mark of the 2020-21 season, in which Iowa State went winless all season against the Big 12 and was 2-22 overall, the “check engine light” was blinking as Iowa State was 14-13 at home the previous three seasons. 

Otzelberger went 4-5 at home in his first season of 2021-22 and improved to 6-3 a year ago. Iowa State is undefeated at home this season against non-conference opponents. 

“Any time we get a chance to play in Hilton in front of 14,500 (fans), it always brings another level of excitement,” Iowa State senior Tre King said. “It’s something we’ve always taken pride in, in defending our home court and playing well. 

“People dread playing us because they know what the atmosphere is going to be like, how the fans are.” 

More: Iowa State freshman Milan Momcilovic emerges as steady offensive force for Cyclones

If Iowa State can win seven or more of its remaining nine home games, it significantly lessens the burden on what the team will need to accomplish on the road to get into the NCAA Tournament. Fail to reach seven, and it means the Cyclones need to win frequently on the road against good teams − one of the hardest things to do in college basketball. 

“Our focus and our intent has been there,” Otzelberger said. “Obviously it’s going to take even a higher level in both of those areas.  

“When you do that, you build that confidence, then you feel almost a level of invincibility at home.”

More: Peterson: Iowa State basketball playing in Big 12 dog park full of pit bulls

Houston (14-0, 1-0), however, has made every one of its opponents look mortal this season, especially with coach Kelvin Sampson’s dominating defense. 

“They have older guys, physical bodies,” Otzelberger said. “It’s almost like a hot potato – you’ve got to move it, you’ve got to move it, you’ve got to move it − because if you keep the ball in one guy’s hands, their coverage doesn’t bust.” 

It will be a tough challenge for Iowa State, but the Cyclones hope their own gritty style of play will counteract the Cougars’.  

Plus, they’ve got something Houston won’t have. 

“They play hard, their coach does a great job, their team has been effective that way,” Otzelberger said. “Yet at the same time, they’re coming on our court. We’re up for that challenge.” 

Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or  (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.