If it's the Big 12 Championship Game, Iowa State is going to make an appearance most years.
It didn't seem like that would be the case this year, as the Cyclones finished in fifth place in the conference with a 9-9 record.
But Iowa State has won three of the last five Big 12 tournaments, and when the Cyclones came up with a 63-59 triumph over Big 12 co-champion Kansas State in the semifinal round, it was not huge surprise, or at least it shouldn't have been.
The Cyclones will face perennial Big 12 power Kansas in the title game.