:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60338201/2022882.jpg.0.jpg)
A three-star prospect out of Carroll, IA, Adam Haluska was recruited by Larry Eustachy to bring the program back to the NCAA Tournament following a poor 12-19 season after the departure of Jamaal Tinsley. In his freshman season at Iowa State, Haluska started all 31 games for the Cyclones while shooting 38% from the field and 33% from three. While those stats won’t blow you away, it was clear to see that Haluska was talented and could be a huge part of the Cyclones gameplan for the next few years.
Then, Larry Eustachy was fired for an incident which occured after a game at Mizzou. Don’t worry, we’ll touch on that incident later on in our “100 Things” series.
When a coach leaves a program, it’s not uncommon for some players to transfer to another program. However, it is extremely uncommon for that player to transfer to his first school’s arch-rival, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT ADAM HALUSKA DID.
HE TRANSFERRED. TO. IOWA.
As one might expect, such a traitorous act was not taken well by the Cyclone faithful. In December 2005, Adam Haluska and #12 Iowa rolled into Hilton Coliseum for the annual CyHawk basketball game, and Haluska’s first and only trip to Ames as a Hawkeye. What greeted the Hawkeyes was an absolutely unholy barrage of boos by Cyclone fans. If Iowa was on offense, the crowd booed loudly. If Adam Haluska actually touched the ball, the crowds displeasure escalated to volumes that made it difficult to even hear the TV broadcasters. When play was stopped, the students made sure to yell “ROGAINE, ROGAINE, ROGAINE” at Hawkeye forward Greg Brunner.
For 40 minutes, the crowd rained down every single ounce of frustration and anger they could muster towards the Hawkeye players, and the talented trio of Curtis Stinson, Will Blalock, and Rahshon Clark gave the Hawks hell on the court. In the end, the good guys took down #12 Iowa by a score of 72-60.
Over the final three years of his playing career, Haluska became one of the best scorers in the Big 10, and one of Iowa State’s most hated opposing players.
It’s tough to be mad at a player for transferring when the coach that recruited him leaves the program. However, out of 350 possible Division 1 basketball programs to transfer to, HE PICKED THAT ONE?!?