Iowa State Alum Tyrese Haliburton Trolls Kentucky After NCAA Tournament Loss

Haliburton takes to social media to celebrate Iowa State's victory over the Wildcats

Mar. 22, 2026 at 11:10pm

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Indiana Pacers star and Iowa State alum Tyrese Haliburton took to social media to troll the Kentucky Wildcats after their second-round loss in the NCAA Tournament. Haliburton's post struck a nerve with Kentucky fans, who responded angrily in the comments. The article suggests Haliburton is just the first of many to come who will mock Kentucky's early tournament exit.

Why it matters

Kentucky is a college basketball blue blood, so their early tournament exit is seen as a major disappointment. Haliburton, as an Iowa State alum, has extra motivation to rub it in after his former team defeated the Wildcats. This type of social media trolling is common when a powerhouse program like Kentucky suffers an upset loss.

The details

Haliburton's social media post mocked Kentucky's $22 million roster and their second-round flameout as a 7-seed. Kentucky fans responded angrily, with some even making personal attacks on Haliburton's fiancée and wishing for him to re-injure his Achilles. The article suggests this is just the beginning of the online trolling Kentucky will face after their early tournament exit.

  • On March 22, 2026, Iowa State defeated Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Tyrese Haliburton

An Indiana Pacers star and Iowa State alum who trolled Kentucky on social media after his former team defeated the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament.

Mark Pope

The head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, who will face scrutiny this offseason after his team's early tournament exit.

John Calipari

The former head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, who is now the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

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What they’re saying

“Making fun of the dude's fiancée and hoping he reinjures his Achilies? I'd expect nothing less from this fanbase.”

— Austin Perry, Author

What’s next

The article suggests that Tyrese Haliburton's social media troll is just the beginning, and that Kentucky will face a barrage of online mockery in the aftermath of their early tournament exit.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the intense passion and competitiveness of college basketball fans, especially when it comes to blue blood programs like Kentucky. While the social media trolling may be in poor taste at times, it is a common byproduct of the high stakes and emotions involved in March Madness.