"Iowa State will travel well"

Cats192 · Mar 16, 2026

Obviously, we have to win Friday first. And this team CAN lose to anyone.

But I keep seeing how well Iowa State will travel and how much they care. I have to point out:

Aimes, Iowa--where their main campus is located--is SIX hours from St. Louis. Lexington, KY is 5 hours from St. Louis. Western Kentucky--Paducah/Murray/Mayfield area is ~2-2.5 hours from St. Louis. Geography actually favors us.

I have lived my life under the impression that we're the fan base that cares the most. Now I'm reading on this board how Iowa State is going to care more and travel better than we are. If we can't get up for a 2nd round NCAA tournament game--with our season on the line--then maybe we're already Indiana. When the fans stop caring, that's when we don't matter anymore.

St. Louis was the best Geographic location we could have asked for, regardless of the 2 seed. I'll be there Sunday cheering my butt off. We may lose. We're likely to lose. But we shouldn't let them turn St. Louis into a home court for Iowa State.

Cats192 · Mar 16, 2026

I'll add: You can save AT LEAST an hour driving from Kentucky to St. Louis if you drive like my wife.

JwUKFan11 · Mar 16, 2026

ISU is the 2 seed and UK the 7, I would imagine they have a good amount of people willing to spend for that trip. I know I'm not buying another UK ticket until they either get rid of Pope or, in the very low chance, he turns it around next year.

jedwar · Mar 16, 2026

Cats192 said:
Obviously, we have to win Friday first. And this team CAN lose to anyone.

But I keep seeing how well Iowa State will travel and how much they care. I have to point out:

Aimes, Iowa--where their main campus is located--is SIX hours from St. Louis. Lexington, KY is 5 hours from St. Louis. Western Kentucky--Paducah/Murray/Mayfield area is ~2-2.5 hours from St. Louis. Geography actually favors us.

I have lived my life under the impression that we're the fan base that cares the most. Now I'm reading on this board how Iowa State is going to care more and travel better than we are. If we can't get up for a 2nd round NCAA tournament game--with our season on the line--then maybe we're already Indiana. When the fans stop caring, that's when we don't matter anymore.

St. Louis was the best Geographic location we could have asked for, regardless of the 2 seed. I'll be there Sunday cheering my butt off. We may lose. We're likely to lose. But we shouldn't let them turn St. Louis into a home court for Iowa State.

I think you're overstating the care more and travel aspect. It's alot about the here and now and how the teams are projecting. In the other thread that you're pulling this out of it's just being said ISU will travel well. They have a legit shot at a FF and will be amped to go. UK fans will be there but so will ISU. What percentages, IDK but I'd guess about the same.

cawoodsct · Mar 16, 2026

We should have a good crowd but less than most years based on optimism and tight times.

Pygmy Sasquatch · Mar 16, 2026

I mean, I'd be thrilled to get out of Iowa, too.

TrueBluePhil · Mar 16, 2026

Pygmy Sasquatch said:
I mean, I'd be thrilled to get out of Iowa, too.

Look I live in Iowa for 32 years now and I was born in Paintsville Ky. Iowa is a pretty good state to live in. One of the best school systems in the country. Very low crime and higher overall income average of it citizens. One of the best states to raise a family in. I make some of the best moonshine from the corn here. A state that not in debt from stupid spending of politicians. Clean water and low cost of living. Don't make statements on things you don't know anything about.

notFromhere · Mar 16, 2026

TrueBluePhil said:
Look I live in Iowa for 32 years now and I was born in Paintsville Ky. Iowa is a pretty good state to live in. One of the best school systems in the country. Very low crime and higher overall income average of it citizens. One of the best states to raise a family in. I make some of the best moonshine from the corn here. A state that not in debt from stupid spending of politicians. Clean water and low cost of living. Don't make statements on things you don't know anything about.

Loved my visits there. People have no idea

FitchandMurray29 · Mar 16, 2026

I expect a divided crowd with Mizzou and Purdue also being a very easy trip.

The higher seeds often have the benefit of being projected to play in St Louis for a bit where fans could’ve bought in prep unlike UK fans where they were at the committee’s mercy.

dckala2_ · Mar 16, 2026

I’ve been hearing a lot of chirping from cyclone fans for years now. Very interesting basketball fans as they talk pretty big about themselves. Hopefully cats get past Santa Clara.

Pygmy Sasquatch · Mar 16, 2026

TrueBluePhil said:
Look I live in Iowa for 32 years now and I was born in Paintsville Ky. Iowa is a pretty good state to live in. One of the best school systems in the country. Very low crime and higher overall income average of it citizens. One of the best states to raise a family in. I make some of the best moonshine from the corn here. A state that not in debt from stupid spending of politicians. Clean water and low cost of living. Don't make statements on things you don't know anything about.

Happy you like it there. It's not for me.

Cats192 · Mar 16, 2026

jedwar said:
I think you're overstating the care more and travel aspect. It's alot about the here and now and how the teams are projecting. In the other thread that you're pulling this out of it's just being said ISU will travel well. They have a legit shot at a FF and will be amped to go. UK fans will be there but so will ISU. What percentages, IDK but I'd guess about the same.

At the end of the day,

We're talking about Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. If we're accepting defeat and let Iowa State outshow us, that's on the fans. We can hem and haw about Pope. But this is supposed to be what Kentucky is all about.

I have no doubt Iowa State is pumped and will show out. We HAVE to match that energy. Especially in St. Louis.

jedwar · Mar 16, 2026

Cats192 said:
At the end of the day,

We're talking about Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. If we're accepting defeat and let Iowa State outshow us, that's on the fans. We can hem and haw about Pope. But this is supposed to be what Kentucky is all about.

We've had so so crowds before. Wichita State traveled great to St. Louis in 2014. There are other examples but I gave that one due to the location of the games in St. Louis and the proxemity of WSU and ISU from St. Louis and also the current year excitment and expecations of WSU then and ISU now. I hope we flood the place but I think it will be pretty evenly distributed.

gonefishin · Mar 16, 2026

How about this, maybe some fans like myself, are so fed up with the state of the program we don’t want to spend a GD dime on this only to see us potentially get beat by 20.
Do I love my cats? Absolutely. Maybe so
Much it is unhealthy. That’s why I won’t spend a dime until the situation at uk changes.
Maybe Barnfart should buy a section out for UK fans as a thank you to UK for his 4 million dollar parting gift.
He has ruined uk basketball.

Smeegs · Mar 16, 2026

TrueBluePhil said:
Look I live in Iowa for 32 years now and I was born in Paintsville Ky. Iowa is a pretty good state to live in. One of the best school systems in the country. Very low crime and higher overall income average of it citizens. One of the best states to raise a family in. I make some of the best moonshine from the corn here. A state that not in debt from stupid spending of politicians. Clean water and low cost of living. Don't make statements on things you don't know anything about.

One of my best friends moved there for work and now absolutely loves the state. He became an Iowa lifer. I liked it too when I visited. Some really nice people live amongst them cornfields.

MegaBlue05 · Mar 16, 2026

Ain’t nobody showing up en masse to watch a 7 seed. Fans are checked out.

I want to win every game we play, but whenever this team loses its last game, I’d be lying if I said I won’t see it as a relief.

This season has been a disappointment and probably needs to be put out of its misery.

Eagles_Ball_69 · Mar 16, 2026

Pygmy Sasquatch said:
I mean, I'd be thrilled to get out of Iowa, too.

Underrated comment!

CUJO_1970 · Mar 16, 2026

MegaBlue05 said:
Ain’t nobody showing up en masse to watch a 7 seed. Fans are checked out.

I want to win every game we play, but whenever this team loses its last game, I’d be lying if I said I won’t see it as a relief.

This season has been a disappointment and probably needs to be put out of its misery.

Kentucky will not make it out of this weekend so it will all be mercifully over by that 14th loss on Friday or at the latest, Sunday.

Then we can all get on with our dread of Year Three of the same old ****, same old excuses and excuse makers.

BigBlue1992 · Mar 16, 2026

UK athletics have been hijacked by the president and AD. They have not catered to the fans hardly at all throughout their tenures here. They’ve taken the easy way out every single time. I mean Pope reached out to Mitch to inquire about the job! Mitch didn’t even have to make the phone call.

I’m not so sure Pope isn’t trying to get fired at this point. How do you not have one single player signed when you have the biggest budget of any program in the country? I think most of the fans are sick of it.

I refuse to buy another UK ticket for any sport until Mitch Barnhart and Mark Pope are gone.

Catman100 · Mar 16, 2026

The fans that went to Nashville to watch us get run by Gonzaga by 35 are the same ones that go to Madness games.
As a 7 seed, I don't think there is enough optimism to travel any more this season.
Would love to be wrong, but I don't think BBN is going to travel well to St. Louis.

BBNinSCar · Mar 16, 2026

Iowa St fans will be well in the minority if we meet them in St Louis.

theKybluedude · Mar 16, 2026

The first round games are tough for UK fans.
Coming off the expense and work absence of the well attended SEC makes it really difficult.

bigblueinsanity (the real) · Mar 16, 2026

FitchandMurray29 said:
I expect a divided crowd with Mizzou and Purdue also being a very easy trip.

The higher seeds often have the benefit of being projected to play in St Louis for a bit where fans could’ve bought in prep unlike UK fans where they were at the committee’s mercy.

Speaking of teams that travel, Purdue definitely does. However they might try to make the next location their basketball trip.

NociHTTP · Mar 16, 2026

Pygmy Sasquatch said:
I mean, I'd be thrilled to get out of Iowa, too.

That whole Midwest area sucks.

UKreturntogreatness · Mar 16, 2026

If the entire arena was only Kentucky fans....so what? We have lost several home games where that was the case as well as in the SEC tourney with a lot of Kentucky fans. It means nothing for this team. However, if J.Q. does play it could be a game changer if he is mainly focused on defense. We have no one like him otherwise.

Seth_C · Mar 16, 2026

Iowa State fans have reason to be excited for their team this season. Kentucky fans have no reason to be excited or hopeful for this season. This should be understandable.

I will be kind and assume you aren’t an idiot and already understand this. So that leaves you intentionally being a ******** trying to stir the pot. Congratulations. Your mother would be so proud.

The_Answer1313_rivals · Mar 16, 2026

I think some of these is the lack of expecations and hope right.

I've seen a couple here mention they typically go to the SEC tournament and didn't this season.

So while our fanbase far outweighs theres, they are very good this season and we aren't. And I could see that as a reason why they would travel and we wouldn't.

FWIW I still think we have a sizable crowd here.

KYAnywhereEverywhere · Mar 16, 2026

TrueBluePhil said:
Look I live in Iowa for 32 years now and I was born in Paintsville Ky. Iowa is a pretty good state to live in. One of the best school systems in the country. Very low crime and higher overall income average of it citizens. One of the best states to raise a family in. I make some of the best moonshine from the corn here. A state that not in debt from stupid spending of politicians. Clean water and low cost of living. Don't make statements on things you don't know anything about.

I like Iowa a lot. It's clean. Pretty when it's green. Nice rolling landscapes with windmills to accentuate the landscape. Largely moderate politically. Iowa is definitely the best Midwest state.

ArcticChar · Mar 16, 2026

They always give us great locations when we're a low seed. We should start taking advantage since we hang out in the lower seeds now.

The_Answer1313_rivals · Mar 16, 2026

ArcticChar said:
They always give us great locations when we're a low seed. We should start taking advantage since we hang out in the lower seeds now.

It ends up kinda working out that way haha. The 7s,8s,9s, and 10s get paired with the 1s and 2s. The 1s and 2s usually get ideal locations. And since those teams tend to be situated about Kentucky, it kinda works lol.

This is why you have us as a 7 seed and going to St Louis and say St Johns a 5 seed that has to go all the way to San Diego lol.

The 4s and 5s get this the worst IMO. Because it's usually those teams being shipped out West due to the fact that there's just not many teams on those first four lines out there (really just Arizona and Gonzaga).

This is also why I think you see so many 5/12 upsets. The location isn't ideal for most 5 seeds. Most circumstnaces the 12 seed is traveling less.

UKBB4Ever · Mar 16, 2026

Iowa St probably thinks they travel well. But they have seen the big blue mist. It will descend upon St Louis regardless of the seed.

Madhuvan · Mar 16, 2026

Cats192 said:
I'll add: You can save AT LEAST an hour driving from Kentucky to St. Louis if you drive like my wife.

You let your wife drive?

"Iowa State will travel well"

Heisman

Heisman

Heisman

Heisman

Heisman

All-American

All-Conference

Heisman

All-American

Senior

All-American

Heisman

Heisman

Senior

All-Conference

Heisman

All-American

All-Conference

All-Conference

Heisman

All-Conference

All-Conference

All-American

Heisman

Junior

All-American

Heisman

Freshman

Senior

Heisman

All-Conference

Junior