MANHATTAN, Kan. – History was made Sunday afternoon, as No. 8 Iowa State (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) earned its largest margin of victory in a road conference game in program history as it drubbed Kansas State (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) by 34, winning 95-61.
The win surpasses the previous record of a 32-point win at Nebraska in 1944. It’s the largest margin of victory on the road in conference play for ISU since 2012, when it bested Texas Tech by 24. The win also moved ISU to 20 wins on the year. The Cyclones reached that mark in just 22 games, which is the fewest games to do so in a single season in program history.
In what’s been a theme over the last three games, it was another quick start for the Cyclones as they went into the break leading by 29. It was the third-straight game ISU led by at least 30 during the first half and scored at least 50 points. ISU’s average margin of lead going into the break over the last three contests has been 27.3.
Joshua Jefferson led all Cyclones with 19 points and eight rebounds. Jefferson also dished five assists and nabbed a steal as he was a team-best +37. Milan Momcilovic had his ninth game of the year with at least five 3-pointers as he had 18 points. Lipsey chipped in 16 with nine dimes and four steals. Killyan Toure (13) and Nate Heise (11) rounded out the double-figure scorers.
K-State’s PJ Haggerty led all scorers with 23 points, 17 of which came in the second half. Haggerty also had nine rebounds and three assists. David Castillo was the only other Wildcat to finish in double figures as he had 11, converting on three triples. KSU’s Nate Johnson had a Wildcat-best five assists.
ISU had 28 assists on 33 made field goals as the offensive rhythm was humming and the Cyclones cracked 90 points for the second-straight game and eighth time this season. The Cyclones were plus-15 on the boards, shot 55% from the field and 52% from deep.
The Cyclones would fall behind, 2-4, in the first two minutes of play after back-to-back layups for the Wildcats. From there, though, it was all Cyclones. A quick 12-0 run for ISU would put the Cyclones up 14-4 heading into the 14-minute mark.
Heise would provide ISU a major spark over the next seven minutes as the senior wing canned three triples to help the Cyclones extend their lead to 14 by the 8:30 mark, 27-13.
Iowa State would go on to lead by as many as 32 in the first half before entering the break with a 50-21 lead.
K-State would trim the 20-point halftime deficit to as low as 23 in the second stanza, but it didn’t have enough. ISU’s second-half cushion grew to as large as 39.
The K-State setback was its largest margin of defeat under Jerome Tang.
Key Performer
Tamin Lipsey did it all for the Cyclones, as the senior leader had 16 points, shooting 66% from the floor, five boards, a game-high nine assists and four steals. Three of his steals came in the first four minutes of the game as he set the defensive tone and ran an under-control game for the Cyclone offense.
Notes
Iowa State picked up its 49th Big 12 win since 2021-22, tied for the second-most in that span.
ISU earned its 18th Big 12 road win since 2021-22, the fourth-most in that span.
T.J. Otzelberger joins Johnny Orr (5) and Fred Hoiberg (4) as the only coaches in program history with four 20-plus win seasons.
Otzelberger’s 115 wins at Iowa State are now tied for fourth in program history and tied for the most in a coach’s first five years at Iowa State.
Otzelberger earned his 49th conference win, tied for fourth at Iowa State.
It was the 22nd road win under Otzelberger, the fourth-most in program history.
Tamin Lipsey played in and started his 122nd game at ISU. It is the 18th-most games played and the fifth-most games started in school history.
He earned his 89th win in the process – the fifth-most by a Cyclone.
Lipsey now sits one steal shy of tying Mario Chalmers for the third-most steals in Big 12 history.
He eclipsed 1,300 points today, only the 21st player in school history to do so.
Blake Buchanan started the 50th game of his career.
Milan Momcilovic moves into a tie with both Curtis Jones (2025) and Dedric Willoughby (1996) for the ninth-most 3-pointers in a single season at ISU.
He is up to 29th in school history for career scoring.
He eclipsed 400 points on the year today.
Up Next
The Cyclones will be back in action next Saturday, Feb. 7, when they return to Hilton Coliseum to host Baylor. Next Saturday’s contest is set to tip off at 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on either ESPN or ESPN 2.
