WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — As Iowa Wolves guard and former Iowa Hawkeye Jordan Bohannon looks at some pictures from the 2019 Cy-Hawk game, he reminisces on the moment he signed his shoes and left them on the floor at the Hilton coliseum.
Iowa had just beaten Iowa State in what he thought was his final Cy-Hawk game at Hilton.
"I didn't think I was gonna play another game against Iowa State," said Bohannon. "This was kind of like my farewell to Iowa State."
His bold move cemented his legacy as a Hawkeye fan favorite and an antagonist to Cyclone fans.
Cyclone fans ultimately got the last laugh when Iowa State beat Iowa the next time Bohannon returned to Hilton.
"It's kind of funny I had to go back to Hilton another year," said Bohannon. "That's one of the best environments in college basketball, so it's a lot of fun."
Bohannon ended up raffling off the pair of shoes online for charity. Through that, he was able to raise $26,000, which he donated to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.
Former Cyclone and point guard for the Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton said while he was on the losing side of the rivalry during his time at Iowa State, it was a game he always enjoyed playing in.
"I don't know if I have the best memories," Haliburton said with a laugh. "We went 0-2 in my time there, but just the atmosphere. Being a kid not from Iowa, you don't understand how big of a game that is to the state of Iowa and it just feels like the whole state's watching you. It's always sold out. Always a lot of energy, hostile environment."
Despite competing against one another on opposite sides of the rivalry, Bohannon and Haliburton both agree it's one of the best rivalries in college sports.
"It's easily the number one rivalry in the entire country," said Bohannon. "With there being no major professional team in the state that a lot of these fans are dedicated to the players on these university teams and that's what makes it so great, especially for the Cy-Hawk rivalry."