No. 6 Iowa State Dominates Second Half to Beat Arizona State

Cyclones pull away with a 24-0 run in the middle of the second half to win regular-season finale

Mar. 8, 2026 at 3:25am

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The 6th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones overcame a 4-point halftime deficit to defeat the Arizona State Sun Devils 86-65 on Saturday. Led by 16 points each from Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State used a 24-0 run in the second half to pull away for the victory. Arizona State led 41-37 at the break, but went scoreless for over 8 minutes as Iowa State took control of the game.

Why it matters

The win clinches the 5th seed and a first-round bye for Iowa State in the upcoming Big 12 tournament. For Arizona State, the loss drops them to 12th in the conference standings and they will have to play in the opening round on Tuesday against either Oklahoma State or Baylor.

The details

Iowa State trailed 41-37 at halftime but opened the second half on a 10-4 run to take the lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Momcilovic and Jefferson gave the Cyclones the lead for good with 14:57 left. Iowa State then went on a 24-0 run over the next 8 minutes to blow the game open, holding Arizona State scoreless for over 8 minutes during that stretch.

  • The game was the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
  • Iowa State clinched the 5th seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming Big 12 tournament with the win.
  • Arizona State finished 12th in the Big 12 standings and will have to play in the opening round on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.

The players

Tamin Lipsey

A key player for Iowa State, scoring 16 points in the win.

Milan Momcilovic

Scored 16 points, including a key 3-pointer, for the Cyclones.

Joshua Jefferson

Also scored 16 points for Iowa State, including a 3-pointer that gave them the lead for good.

Massamba Diop

Led Arizona State with 12 points in the loss.

Anthony Johnson

Scored 10 points for the Sun Devils.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been a little sluggish in the first half, but our guys really turned it on in the second half and played some great basketball to pull away.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the opening round matchup between Arizona State and either Oklahoma State or Baylor will face Iowa State in the second round of the Big 12 tournament on Thursday, March 13, 2026.

The takeaway

Iowa State's ability to dominate the second half and go on a decisive 24-0 run showed their depth and resilience as they head into the postseason. Meanwhile, Arizona State's struggles in the second half highlighted the challenges they will face in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament as they try to extend their season.