KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tamin Lipsey seems to have found his sweet spot at the T-Mobile Center, even if he can't quite explain why. The Iowa State senior point guard is on fire from beyond the arc, heading into Friday’s Big 12 Tournament semifinal against No. 2 Arizona with a remarkable record of 14 out of 26 long-range shots in this venue.
Lipsey, who recently nailed four 3-pointers in a dominant 75-53 victory over No. 16 Texas Tech, attributes his success to confidence.
“I honestly have no clue what it is,” he said. “I shoot the ball well down here.
Just keep it going.”
The Cyclones, boasting a 27-6 record, are riding high as their fans flood into the Power and Light district. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (30-2), fresh off a 73-57 win over ISU in Tucson just 11 days ago, are ready for a showdown. Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd acknowledges the challenge, saying, “We know it’s going to be a tough battle with an Iowa State team playing in their backyard, but we look forward to it.”
Advanced analytics from KenPom give Arizona a slight edge with a projected 75-71 win, and Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Wildcats as 3.5-point favorites. But numbers don’t account for the unpredictable factors like Lipsey’s hot hand or the rising contributions from ISU freshmen Jamarion Batemon and Dominykas Pleta. Batemon’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer and Pleta’s 11 points in just 14 minutes against Texas Tech highlight the depth of this Cyclones squad.
Add in All-American forward Joshua Jefferson’s stellar performance - 18 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists - and Iowa State looks like a team hitting its stride at the perfect time.
The Cyclones are drawing parallels to past successes, with junior forward Milan Momcilovic recalling a similar path during his freshman year. “It kind of reminds me of my freshman year,” he said, reflecting on their tournament victories over teams they had lost to in the regular season. This year’s journey feels familiar and promising.
Whether this narrative leads to another championship remains to be seen, but the Cyclones are confident they’re playing their best basketball when it counts the most. “Just gotta keep it rolling,” Lipsey emphasized. Staying healthy and winning - by an average of 35.5 points in their first two tournament games - are top priorities.
“You want to be able to win this tournament,” Jefferson added, inspired by the pride and joy of past champions. The Cyclones are determined to make their mark and bring home the title.