Iowa State Men’s Basketball Title Ring References ‘Between Us’

The Iowa State Cyclones’ Big 12 Championship rings have a rather dubious detail.

The most prominent pieces of hardware highlight all the usual bells and whistles of a team celebrating a title. There are red and gold colors and retro logos that pay homage to the Cyclone brand. There is a “23-0 at Hilton” line, which refers to the team’s undefeated record at the Hilton Center as well as the team’s undefeated record against Kansas City (“Hilton South”) and Omaha (“Hilton West”) in the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament.

And then there are video game characters.

Iowa State Rings Details 👀💍

(via @CycloneMBB) pic.twitter.com/btPs1Bm7IB

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 28, 2024

The video game “Between Us” rose to prominence in 2020, bolstered by interactive elements suited to a socially distanced world. The game’s player base has dwindled since then, but it never completely went away — certainly not in Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State will use the game as a means of team bonding on road trips throughout the season. Animated character graphic with “Send code!” A phrase used by the Cyclones to denote the start of a new game.

Details I do not expect

— Among Us 🚀 PAX West (@AmongUsGame) August 28, 2024

Iowa State men’s basketball will look to defend its conference crown and undefeated home record on Nov. 4, when the team opens the season against Mississippi Valley State.