TCU Stuns No. 5 Iowa State with Late Surge, Snapping Cyclones’ Win Streak
Iowa State’s five-game winning streak came to a screeching halt Tuesday night in Fort Worth, as TCU closed the game on a 12-0 run to knock off the Cyclones, 62-55. It’s the Horned Frogs’ first win over a top-five opponent since January 2024, and they earned it the hard way-by dominating the final minutes and seizing control when it mattered most.
Jayden Pierre was the closer for TCU, delivering a personal 5-0 run in crunch time that helped seal the deal. His late-game heroics were part of a larger trend: Iowa State simply couldn’t hold onto the ball or find a rhythm when the game tightened.
The Cyclones finished with 17 turnovers and were outmuscled on the glass, losing the rebounding battle 36-31. TCU turned those extra possessions into 13 second-chance points and 19 points off turnovers-numbers that tell the story of a game that slipped away.
The loss drops Iowa State to 21-3 overall and 8-3 in Big 12 play, with a brutal stretch ahead. Five of their final seven games come against ranked opponents, and Tuesday night served as a reminder that nothing comes easy in this conference.
First-Half Flow: Ball Movement at Its Best
Despite the final result, Iowa State showed flashes of what’s made them one of the most efficient teams in the country. In the first half, the Cyclones were nearly perfect in their ball movement, dishing out 13 assists on 13 made field goals. That kind of synergy kept them afloat despite seven turnovers in the opening 20 minutes-including four in the final 4:16 before the break.
Forward Joshua Jefferson was the catalyst early. He had five assists in the first half alone and added seven points, directly contributing to 17 of Iowa State’s 30 first-half points.
His court vision was on full display, especially on a slick backdoor dime to Tamin Lipsey for the Cyclones’ first bucket. Later, he set up Blake Buchanan for a dunk that gave Iowa State a six-point edge midway through the half.
Lipsey matched Jefferson with five assists of his own and added six points on 3-of-5 shooting. One of his highlights came on a second-chance possession where every Cyclone touched the ball before he set up Milan Momcilovic for a clean look from deep. It was the kind of possession coaches dream about-fluid, unselfish, and efficient.
Missed Opportunities: Free Throws, Turnovers, and Cold Shooting Doom Cyclones
But for all the crisp execution early, Iowa State’s old issues crept back in. Free throw shooting has been a sore spot all season, and it bit them again Tuesday.
The Cyclones came into the game hitting less than 68.5% from the stripe overall-and under 68% in Big 12 play, which ranks dead last in the league. Against TCU, they opened 2-of-7 from the line, with Lipsey and Killyan Toure each missing a pair and Jefferson missing one as well.
Turnovers were another problem. With 12 minutes left in the second half, Iowa State had already committed 12 turnovers, including an over-and-back violation. Through the first seven minutes of that half, they had more turnovers (5) than made field goals (4).
And then there was the 3-point shooting-or lack thereof. The Cyclones, typically one of the better perimeter shooting teams in the country, couldn’t buy a bucket from deep.
They started 3-of-15 from beyond the arc, and things only got worse. A missed fast-break three from Momcilovic dropped his numbers to 2-of-7 from long range, and by that point, Lipsey (0-1), Jefferson (0-2), Nate Heise (0-3), and Jamarion Batemon (0-1) had all come up empty from deep.
As TCU went on a 10-0 run to take a 49-41 lead, Iowa State’s offense stalled.
Late in the game, with a chance to tie or take the lead, Lipsey made a costly pass that was picked off and turned into a dunk. That was turnover No.
- Moments later, he missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and the Cyclones never scored again.
They ended the night 2-of-8 from the free throw line and 5-of-23 from three-point range. That’s a tough combination to overcome on the road.
Trading Runs: A Tale of Two Finishes
Iowa State did have a response in them. Down eight with under nine minutes to play, the Cyclones ripped off a 12-0 run of their own to flip the game.
It started with a Momcilovic three after a TCU turnover. On the next trip down, Jefferson buried a triple off a Momcilovic drive-and-kick.
Just like that, the deficit was cut in half.
The run continued with second-chance points-something Iowa State hadn’t been generating much of until then. Lipsey scored on a putback layup after an offensive board, and Heise capped the surge with a layup at the rim to give Iowa State a 53-50 lead.
During that stretch, TCU turned it over five times and went more than six minutes without a field goal. Iowa State’s defense had completely flipped the script.
But the momentum didn’t last.
Jayden Pierre took over in the final two minutes. First, he hit a tough fadeaway in the lane.
Then, after a Cyclone shot clock violation, he drilled a go-ahead three over Jefferson. That bucket gave TCU a 57-55 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
From there, it was all Horned Frogs. Iowa State didn’t score in the final 2:38 and committed four turnovers in the last 4:19. TCU closed the game on a 13-0 run, delivering the knockout punch to one of the hottest teams in the country.
What’s Next: Kansas Looms
There’s no time for Iowa State to dwell on this one. A top-10 showdown with Kansas awaits Saturday at Hilton Coliseum.
The Jayhawks are coming off a statement win over No. 1 Arizona, and sophomore center Flory Bidguna was dominant in that performance.
Kansas already beat Iowa State by 21 earlier this season in Allen Fieldhouse, a game that featured freshman star Darryn Peterson. Whether Peterson suits up this weekend remains to be seen-he’s missed time due to illness and other issues-but either way, the Cyclones know what’s coming.
After Tuesday’s loss, the margin for error tightens. And with the Big 12 gauntlet in full swing, Iowa State will need to clean up the turnovers, hit their free throws, and find their rhythm from deep if they want to stay in the conference title race.