Wendell Barnhouse is a nationally-known and respected columnist who has spent over 20 years covering collegiate athletics. He has reported from 24 Final Fours and more than three dozen bowl games and has written about the Big 12 and its schools since the conference's beginning. Barnhouse will be updating the Big 12 Insider on happenings and behind-the-scenes information about the conference.
In addition to rallying from a double-digit deficit with less than eight minutes remaining, there was another interesting aspect to Iowa State's quarterfinal victory over Oklahoma. The Cyclones rallied to win the game with senior point guard Korie Lucious on the bench.
"Korie came to me out of a timeout and said, 'You keep going with these guys, they've got a great flow going,'" Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said after his team's 73-66 victory.
Lucious had missed all eight of his shot attempts. Bubu Palo, one of the team's best perimeter defenders, was doing a great job slowing the Sooners' offensive flow and senior Will Clyburn was taking over offensively and running the team as the point guard.
Lucious didn't get back in the game until just 20 seconds remained and Iowa State had secured the victory. The senior point guard, who sat out last season after transferring from Michigan State, was praised by Hoiberg for his unselfish attitude.
"That's Korie Lucious," Hoiberg said, "who hit a shot to help put a Michigan State team in a Final Four. When you have a guy as selfless as that on your team, that's a great luxury to have."
