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Lipsey shines with career-high 25 as No. 16 Cyclones roll past Mississippi State
Senior guard Tamin Lipsey led a dominant Iowa State performance against Mississippi State, guiding the Cyclones to a 96-80 win behind relentless defense and balanced scoring.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Tamin Lipsey played his 106th game in an Iowa State uniform Monday night against Mississippi State.
But the senior from Ames’ scoring effort stands alone as the best in his storied three-plus seasons in cardinal and gold.
Lipsey’s 3-pointer with 3:38 remaining gave him 25 points — three above his previous career high — and the No. 16 Cyclones bulldozed the Bulldogs, 96-80, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
“Just grateful for every opportunity I have, being a senior now, and it’s just surreal,” Lipsey told the ESPNU broadcast crew after the win. “This is my fourth year her at Iowa State. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of, so not taking it for granted and just going out, playing hard, trying to win games and cherish the moments with my teammates and my coaches.”
ISU (3-0) forced 26 turnovers, led by as many as 25 points, and led by at least 14 points in the final 20 minutes and 33 seconds of the game.
Star guard Josh Hubbard paced Mississippi State (1-1) with 25 points, but gave up seven of those 26 turnovers. The Cyclones outscored the Bulldogs — who came in as the 28th best team in the country, per KenPom— 29-to-7 in points off turnovers, and 56-to-30 in points in the paint.
“That was a really great team victory,” ISU head coach T.J. Otzelberger said on the Cyclone Radio Network. “I thought everybody that got into the game, and even the guys who weren’t as fortunate to get in were contributing. The bench energy was great. I think as soon as we subbed guys brought greatness to the table. (Forward Dominykas) Pleta all over the offensive glass with (two) tip dunks. (Guard Dominick) Nelson’s right downhill in the paint. (Guard Jamarion) Batemon bangs (down) a couple of shots. (Guard Nate) Heise’s strong, start to finish. So many great things.”
Versatile forward Joshua Jefferson added 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists despite playing only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. Virginia transfer forward Blake Buchanan added 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting. The 6-10 junior also grabbed five rebounds, had four assists and blocked three shots.
“I met Blake last year on my visit to Virginia,” said Jefferson, who joined ISU via St. Mary’s last season. “So already having that connection before he came in was nice, So when he got here it was nice seeing a familiar face. So I’m proud of how he works and he’ll just continue to get better every game.”
The Cyclones got better as the game wore on and used a late first-half flourish to turn a tenuous 29-27 lead into a commanding 53-35 cushion at halftime. A Lipsey layup sparked a 10-0 run that included a 3-pointer from Batemon and three free throws from Buchanan and Nelson that helped a tense game against a talented SEC team that’s appeared in three straight NCAA Tournaments into a blowout win.
“The cool thing that we saw tonight is even when Joshua had two fouls in the first half, or maybe it’s not (forward) Milan (Momcilovic’s) night, we have other guys step up, and that’s what teams that are really good do,” Otzelberger said.
And really good players such as Lipsey, an all-Big 12 performer and the program’s all-time steals leader, stole the show when the lights became bright and the opponent became tougher.
“Tamin commanded the game,” Otzelberger said. “Tamin controlled the game. Tamin directed the game. Tamin, the pace we played at, everything that happened out there, to have six assists, two turnovers, to make all the plays he made, (he) was the best player on the court tonight.”
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