Chris Allen is winning

AMES — Winning is something you get used to quick when you go to a pair of Final Fours.

It goes a little beyond that for Iowa State men’s basketball player Chris Allen.

“I’m just for winning. Winning is me, that’s what I want to do,” said the senior who played in the 2009 and 2010 Final Fours while at Michigan State.

“Wherever I go, that’s all I want to do.”

Having a player with winning experience is certainly a plus for a program that hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2005, especially as they’re knocking of the Selection Committee’s door in early February.

“He can talk to our guys about living in the moment, not getting ahead of ourselves and going out and try to find a way to win each game,” said ISU head coach Fred Hoiberg.

Allen does offer advice up to his teammates.

“(The) demeanor and poise you have to have to be in those types of big games, it’s crazy,” he said. “You can’t get out of control. You can’t mess up for one second because if you do, that’s the end of your season.”

Having been as close to the summit has Allen was, however, makes the climb back up less scenic.

“For instance, our win against Kansas, I was excited, but I played against Kansas three times and beat them by 20,” said Allen. “So for us to beat Kansas, I was just like, ‘Alright, good game.’ It’s different because we’re building up. It’s not expected for us to do that type of stuff.”

Allen’s memory was a bit off, as the Spartans defeated KU by 13 and five points during the 2008-09 season, but you get the idea.

His experience also means Allen thinks big with his goals.

“Get to the tournament, get to the Final Four,” he said. “You get to the Final Four, that’s one game away. That’s how I look at it.”

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