Iowa State men’s basketball learned some lessons in clutch rivalry win

AMES — Joshua Jefferson knows big college basketball rivalries.

The Iowa State junior forward, who transferred from St. Mary’s in the offseason, was part of the West Coast’s best bitterness-based battle, between the Gaels and Gonzaga.

Now just nine games into his first season as a Cyclone, Jefferson’s been baptized into the Cy-Hawk rivalry with Iowa — and he played a pivotal role in No. 3 ISU’s 89-80 comeback win over the Hawkeyes on Thursday in Iowa City.

“We’re a veteran group, older guys, so we’ve been in this situation before,” said Jefferson, who aims to help the Cyclones (8-1) handle Omaha (4-8) at noon today in Hilton Coliseum. “Just continue to make plays and stay with it, even when the other team goes on good runs.”

That’s what Iowa did for most of Thursday’s game, and it’s something the Mavericks are unlikely to do against an ISU defense that ranks 11th nationally in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom. The Hawkeyes played exceptionally clean basketball against the Cyclones, who were unable to force many live ball turnovers, which often fuels their transition offense. So the Cyclones simply outscored Iowa instead, proving they can win in a variety of ways this season.

“I felt like every time we were trying to push it, they were back, they were set,” ISU’s first-team All-Big 12 point guard Tamin Lipsey said of the Hawkeyes. “So definitely being able to work off that, play offense in the half court, we were able to work on that in the second half and improve on that. Just getting to things, getting to actions, attacking, being aggressive — we had a lot of guys that could make plays.”

They still do.

Curtis Jones led the Cyclones with 23 points and hit numerous pressure-packed 3-pointers. Jefferson added 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Five ISU players scored in double figures and Lipsey made three consecutive long range baskets at critical junctures in the second half. That’s one reason his head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, called him a “superhero” early last week — but he also recorded six rebounds, three assists and three steals while losing zero turnovers.

“I mean, obviously I appreciate the comment,” Lipsey said. “That’s obviously a good thing to be considered a superhero.”

Indeed it is, but it’s the little things that propel the perpetually banged-up Lipsey to that “super” status.

“I’d say it’s just because of the things that he praised me after (Thursday’s) game for, the loose balls I was getting, the plays I was able to keep alive for us,” Lipsey said. “They seem like little things but he realizes that they’re big things for us, and so do my teammates and everyone in this program. Those are big plays and I’m able to make those quite often, and that’s something I stick to.”

Jefferson and fellow transfer forward Dishon Jackson made similar plays of all shapes and sizes in Thursday’s win — and Jefferson won his second straight rivalry game, but first in the cardinal and gold.

“His skill level and intelligence, and ability to make the right read and the right play is terrific,” Otzelberger said.

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com