Social Media Reacts to BYU's Double Overtime Thriller Over No. 10 Iowa State

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On Tuesday night, BYU basketball pulled out not only the best win of the season over no. 10 Iowa State, but one of the best wins in program history. The Cougars needed a win over Iowa State to secure a top-four seed in the Big 12 tournament. The win not only positioned BYU for a double bye in the Big 12 tournament, it also positioned BYU to improve a seed-line or two in the NCAA Tournament.
Social media erupted after BYU's win over the Cyclones. Former BYU cornerback Brian Logan said it best after the game. "I'm liking and retweeting every BYU Men's Basketball tweet right now." We've compiled the best social media reactions to the Cougars' gritty win over the Cyclones.
I’m liking and retweeting every BYU Men’s Basketball tweet right now.
— Brian Logan (@BrianLogan7) March 5, 2025
Even the streets were buzzing in Provo as students celebrated a historic win over Iowa State.
Scene in Provo @BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/P2UtDGIHCg
— Cameron Clark (@ClarkCam27) March 5, 2025
One fan described quipped that her "body doesn't know the difference between getting chased by a bear and watching a BYU basketball game."
Unfortunately my body doesn’t know the difference between getting chased by a bear and watching a BYU basketball game#BYUHoops #GoCougs #BYU
— Ally Braithwaite (@allyb_7) March 5, 2025
BYU made history against Iowa State. According to OptaSTATS, BYU is the first team to have 29 or more turnovers against an AP Top 25 opponent and win since 1998.
BYU is the first team to have 29+ turnovers against an AP Top 25 opponent and still win the game since Iowa had 31 in a win at No. 10 Kansas on December 8, 1998.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) March 5, 2025
Teams had gone a combined 0-117 against ranked opponents when having 29+ turnovers since that Iowa victory. pic.twitter.com/cwn32gtZLF
BYU basketball is one of the hottest teams in the country right now according to nationaly analyst Sean Paul.
THE BYU COUGARS REMAIN LAVA HOT! Playing like one of the best teams in the country. Might end up on the six seed line when this is all done. Feeling like a six or seven, though. Legit second weekend potential here for the Cougs. What an awesome team and such a big win.
— Sean Paul (@SeanPaulCBB) March 5, 2025
Keba…
BYU ranks fifth nationally in Erik Haslem's momentum metric.
BYU is a tank right now. Six straight positively rated performances, #5 nationally in our Momentum metric, and now they're doing this to Iowa State tonight. pic.twitter.com/F8m4I8WYCY
— Erik Haslam (@haslametrics) March 5, 2025
Prior to Tuesday night, the only other team to beat Iowa State when healthy was Auburn. Auburn has been the top team in the country throughout the season, and they narrowly beat Iowa State 83-81 earlier in the season. BYU took down a healthy Iowa State team in Ames.
only other team to beat the fully healthy Iowa State Cyclones this season: Auburn who has literally been one of, if not THE best team in the country this season pic.twitter.com/Kl9okISbco
— TorresOnBYU (@TorresOnBYU) March 5, 2025
BYU's seven-game winning streak has positioned BYU to potentially make a deep run in March. Jon Rothstein believes it could make up for the 2020 BYU team who never had a chance to make a run since the NCAA Tournament was cancelled.
BYU has now won road games at both Arizona and Iowa State in the past few weeks.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 5, 2025
Cougars will be a trendy deep pick on Selection Sunday.
I’ll say it again: This program was denied the chance to make a deep NCAA Tournament run in 2020.
It could make up for it in 2025.
Evan Miya believes BYU's win at Iowa State was enough to push BYU up "at least" one seed-line.
Final (2OT): No. 23 BYU 88, No. 10 Iowa State 85
— Evan Miyakawa (@EvanMiya) March 5, 2025
What a remarkable win by BYU in Ames. After letting a 21 point lead go, they gritted out a win in double OT.
This win is at least a seed-line bump for BYU. No team in the Big 12 has had their team rating improve more in the last…
BYU basketball has the attention of not only the fanbase, but the BYU football program as well. BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill was tuned into the action on Tuesday night.
Wow! Unbelievably great game. Toughness and grit by both teams. @BYUMBB @IowaStateMBB @BYUfootball
— Jay Hill (@CoachJayHill) March 5, 2025
So was BYU staffer Jack Damuni.
HOW BOUT DEM COUGS!!! https://t.co/40jADy6Gxy
— #IamJackDamuni 🇫🇯 (@JackDamuni) March 5, 2025
Two plays got social media's attention more than all others: Dallin Hall's alley-oop and Keba Keita's chase-down block. The official BYU Cougars account had a funny caption about Hall's dunk: "Some might call this 'sneaky athletic'".
Some might call this “sneaky athletic”
— BYU Cougars (@BYUCougars) March 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/nir5bBgL96
BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston and BYU safety Raider Damuni have been vocal supporters of the basketball team throughout the season. They were both impressed by Dallin Hall on Tuesday night
DALLIN HALL MVP!!!!!!
— Parker Kingston (@ParkerKingston) March 5, 2025
DALLIN!!! 🐰🤣💪🏾
— Raider Damuni 🇫🇯 (@raiderdamuni) March 5, 2025
Keba Keita made one of the best defensive plays in BYU history against Iowa State. One fan took a screenshot of the ground Keita had to make up to pull off the chase-down block.
Imagine being this wide open and not scoring. pic.twitter.com/T69HbzovxI
— 🍍Andy Splatz🍍 (@AndySplatz) March 5, 2025
Another fan equated the block to Nacho Libre famously "getting that corn out of his face."
🖐️ 🏀 🙅♂️#BYU | #BYUhoops | #GoCougs https://t.co/MmeIYlHWCz pic.twitter.com/rg5bi9ui45
— ⛳️ Jalenooperdogg 🏌️♂️ (@JalenooperDogg) March 5, 2025
BYU's play over the last few weeks has Big 12 fans wondering whether BYU is the best team in the Big 12 right now.
…we sure BYU isn’t the best team in the Big 12 right now?
— John Kurtz (@jlkurtz) March 5, 2025
thats a WIN for @BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/wctnoQF0rv
— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) March 5, 2025
The referees were a hot topic throughout the game. BYU was whistled for some critical fouls late in the game that allowed the Cyclones to cut into BYU's lead. Former BYU assistant coach Tim LaComb called it a "historically bad whistle."
BYU just survived a historically bad whistle in Ames! Hell of a win.
— Tim LaComb (@tlacomb) March 5, 2025
Speaking of referees, someone on social media noticed this bizarre clip of referee Jeffrey Anderson.
High knees at BYU vs Iowa State pic.twitter.com/PSTpgMP8xg
— Jeffrey Anderson Fan Account (@highkneesref) March 5, 2025
All in all, BYU-Iowa State was an incredible college basketball game. According to Chris Williams, the Iowa State fans in attendance appreciated the effort on both sides. They reportedly gave both teams a standing ovation as they went to their respective locker rooms.
Saw something neat tonight. Fans gave ISU and BYU a standing O as teams went to locker room. Ton of BYU fans (national program). Both teams left it all out there. Hated to see ISU lose but that was a highly-entertaining March contest.
— Chris Williams (@ChrisMWilliams) March 5, 2025

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.
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