BASKETBALL

Iowa-Iowa State managers: 'It's our time to shine' in Cy-Hawk pick-up game

Aaron Young

ayoung2@dmreg.com

They aren't just towel and water boys. They help their basketball programs be successful in any way possible.

A player on the Iowa Men's Basketball manger team shoot a lay-up during a pick-up game against the Iowa State managers on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Carver Hawkeye Arena. It's common across the country for mangers to play each other the night before the actual teams play.

And on Wednesday night, the student managers from the Iowa and Iowa State basketball teams played the reversal, laced up their sneakers and balled out.

Hawkeye and Cyclone managers took the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor following the Iowa women's victory over ISU. The Iowa managers defended their home court and won 69-60.

ISU student manager Kurt Benjamin said "it's our time to shine" when they get to take the floor.

"It's cool to flip the role sometimes. We love going out and playing," Benjamin said.

"I think there's a common misconception that we're a bunch of towels and water boys, which absolutely isn't the truth. We're up there breaking down film, doing in-depth stuff to help our coaches in any way possible."

And for obvious reasons, Benjamin said, spectators at the managers' game are little to none.

"Even if there were, they'd be crazy," he said.

Students cheer from the sideline of the Iowa State vs. Iowa managers basketball game on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Carver Hawkeye Arena. It's tradition that the managers of both teams play each other the night before the actual teams face off.

Last year, ISU's student managers won the game 67-59 in Ames, where ESPN personalities Jay Bilas and Fran Franschilla offered live coverage of the event via Twitter. Bilas picked up where he left off last year with his Twitter quips, just from afar.

He tweeted Wednesday that the game between Iowa and Iowa State managers is considered as the "Game of the Night."

He even provided his own mini scouting report of each squad, along with fabulous zingers about the starting players (My personal favorite is his take on rookie ISU manager Tyler Schoh):

Iowa State

Iowa

As the final buzzer sounded, the Hawkeyes celebrated their victory, lifting Iowa manager Jackson Nichols — a repeat selection as the game's Most Valuable Player — up from the ground and off the court like a boss.

And everyone is having fun, no matter the outcome.

"Regardless if the game gets heated or not, everything's good at the end," Benjamin said. "We're all friends. We all understand what each other's going through."

The Iowa and Iowa State men's basketball teams face off at 7 p.m. Thursday. The game will be televised on ESPN 2.

Aaron Young is a reporter for The Des Moines Register, focusing on what Iowans are talking about on the internet and on social media. Email story tips to Aaron: ayoung2@dmreg.com. Follow him on Twitter: @AaYoung15 .