Cyclones Surge to Sweet 16 Behind Lipsey’s Stellar Performance
In a thrilling showdown at the Enterprise Center, Ames native Tamin Lipsey led No. 6 Iowa State to a commanding 82-63 victory over No.
7 Kentucky, securing their third Sweet 16 appearance in five years. Lipsey’s career-high 26 points were the driving force behind the Cyclones’ triumph, pushing their record to an impressive 29-7, while the Wildcats wrapped up their season at 22-14.
Head coach T.J. Otzelberger praised Kentucky and their coach, Mark Pope, acknowledging the challenge they posed. “We knew we had to be at our best,” Otzelberger commented, reflecting on the respect they held for their opponents.
Lipsey wasn’t the only Cyclone lighting up the scoreboard. Junior forward Milan Momcilovic added 20 points, with guards Nate Heise and Killyan Toure contributing 12 and 10 points respectively. Lipsey’s determination was palpable: “I didn’t want this to be my last game of my career,” he declared.
The game kicked off with junior Blake Buchanan winning the tip and scoring a quick jumper. Kentucky answered with a 10-0 run, but Lipsey’s first basket at 15:16 helped close the gap. The Wildcats pushed ahead with another run, but Iowa State responded fiercely with an 11-0 streak.
Malachi Moreno’s free throws gave Kentucky a seven-point edge late in the first half, but the Cyclones roared back with an 8-0 run, capped by a Heise three-pointer, to take a 31-30 lead into halftime.
The second half mirrored the first, starting with another Iowa State three-pointer. Andrija Jelavić briefly cut the Cyclone lead, but Otega Oweh’s jumper for Kentucky was soon overshadowed by a 14-3 Iowa State surge.
Heise noted the team’s strategic mindset: “When you get (Kentucky) to that point, it’s like ‘Let’s just be done.’”
Jamarion Batemon’s 32-foot three-pointer with 6:39 left extended Iowa State’s lead to 70-47, the largest of the game. Momcilovic sealed the deal with his fourth three-pointer, wrapping up the Cyclones’ scoring.
Despite Kentucky’s slight edge in shooting percentage, Iowa State dominated inside, outscoring the Wildcats 34-20 in the paint and capitalizing on turnovers with a 25-12 advantage. The Cyclones’ disciplined play was evident with only seven turnovers compared to Kentucky’s 20.
Looking ahead, Iowa State prepares to face No. 6 Tennessee on Friday. With a historical 1-2 record against the Volunteers, the Cyclones are eager to even the score and continue their tournament run.