Top 15 ISU men’s basketball moments: 99 points in honor of Johnny Orr

The Iowa State community was shocked with the passing of legendary coach Johnny Orr, who died last New Year’s Eve. The Cyclone men’s basketball team honored him with an offensive explosion.

Mar 27, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Fred Hoiberg during practice for the east regional of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier in the season, head coach Fred Hoiberg walked in with Johnny Orr right before tip-off of the Michigan game. Orr coached Hoiberg, and we all know how close of a relationship they had. We can’t even begin to feel for how sad Hoiberg was that day after learning that his hero had passed.

He couldn’t even make it through the pre-game before the tip-off against Northern Illinois, needing to head into the locker room to regroup.

But he regained his composure, and the team wasn’t fazed despite the emotional atmosphere. In fact, it gave them a spark, sprinting out to a 26-7 lead in the first seven minutes of action. Eventually the team reached a 20-point lead in the first half and cruised to an easy 99-63 win over the Huskies.

Six different players scored in double-figures, and the Cyclones blazed with 28 assists on 37 field goals made while committing just five turnovers. They scored 16 more points in the paint, had 20 points off of turnovers, and outscored NIU’s bench 36-14.

The only downfall of the night was getting outrebounded 46-36, but those things will happen when you’re up by 21 points at halftime.

Iowa State men’s basketball top 15 moments of 2013-14

15. DeAndre Kane’s perimeter shooting en route to Diamond Head Classic title

14. Monte Morris emerges, nearly hits double-double against Auburn

13. Cyclones hold on to win after blowing 18-point lead vs. Texas Tech

12. Redemption at Hilton Coliseum after getting blown out at West Virginia

11. 99 points against Northern Illinois in remembrance of Johnny Orr

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