Iowa History Daily: On February 15, 1992, Justus Thigpen helped the Cyclones roar back from an 18-point halftime deficit to upset #2 ranked Oklahoma State in overtime at Hilton Coliseum. Sealed by a three-point play by freshman Fred Hoiberg, the building reached a fever pitch loud enough to shake the floor.
Orr entered his 12th season at the helm in Ames with a talented group featuring Thigpen and Hoiberg, as well as Loren Meyer and Hurl Beechum. The Cyclones started the season hot, racking up a 13-2 record before the high-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys beat up on Iowa State in Stillwater during mid-January.
Coming off an embarrassing 91-60 loss to Kansas which resulted in Thigpen’s removal from the starting lineup and long stretches of the contest where he didn’t play. The first half saw the woes of the Kansas game continue, but Thigpen checked in with just over 10-minutes remaining in the second-half and helped bring the Cyclones back.
Thigpen dropped in four late three-pointers, and provided a crucial assist to Hoiberg as the Cyclones raced the clock to complete the overtime comeback. Hoiberg, catching a pass near the basket, managed to score while Bryant “Big Country” Reeves pummeled him with eight seconds left in overtime.
After Hoiberg sunk the free-throw to take an 84-83 lead, Hilton rocked loudly while 89.7% free-throw shooting Cowboy Darwyn Alexander went to the line following a Thigpen foul. “When Alexander was shooting, my legs were bouncing up and down because the fans were making so much noise that the floor was shaking,” said Hoiberg. Alexander felt it too, and missed both shots to seal the Cyclone win. “I’ve been coaching for 42 years, and I’ve never had a greater comeback,” said Orr. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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