Iowa State Upsets Kentucky, Advances to Sweet 16

Cyclones' defense shuts down Wildcats in second half to secure 82-63 victory

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:04pm

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No. 2 seed Iowa State pulled away from No. 7 seed Kentucky in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 51-33 to secure an 82-63 victory and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Tamin Lipsey led the Cyclones with a career-high 26 points and 10 assists, while Iowa State's defense forced 20 Kentucky turnovers.

Why it matters

Iowa State's win over Kentucky marks the Cyclones' eighth trip to the Sweet 16, and their third under head coach T.J. Otzelberger. The victory also raises questions about the health of Iowa State's star forward Joshua Jefferson, who missed the game with a sprained ankle.

The details

Lipsey stepped up in Jefferson's absence, pouring in a career-high 26 points and tying a career-high with 10 assists. Milan Momcilovic added 20 points, and Nate Heise chipped in 12 points for the Cyclones. Iowa State's defense clamped down in the second half, forcing 12 Kentucky turnovers and holding the Wildcats to just 33 points after halftime.

  • Iowa State took a 31-30 lead at halftime.
  • The Cyclones went on a 13-1 run midway through the second half to seize control of the game.

The players

Tamin Lipsey

A senior guard for Iowa State who led the Cyclones with a career-high 26 points and 10 assists.

Joshua Jefferson

Iowa State's second-leading scorer and top rebounder, who missed the game with a sprained ankle.

T.J. Otzelberger

The head coach of Iowa State, who has led the Cyclones to their third Sweet 16 appearance in his tenure.

Otega Oweh

A Kentucky guard who scored 18 points, following up his 35-point performance in the first round.

Mark Pope

The head coach of Kentucky, whose team struggled to find baskets and get stops against Iowa State's defense.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to be at our best. I'm proud of our guys. Felt like the game didn't start the way we'd like but on defense, our pressure as the game wore on paid dividends for us. We generated turnovers and scored off our defense.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Head Coach, Iowa State

“We had a tough time finding baskets, and more importantly, we had a real tough time getting a stop. They shot 50 percent in the second half from 3, and they played really well. You're not going to win games when you give up 51 in the second half, and there [are] a lot of reasons that happened.”

— Mark Pope, Head Coach, Kentucky

What’s next

Iowa State will face the winner of the Virginia-Tennessee matchup in the Midwest Region semifinals on Friday in Chicago.

The takeaway

Iowa State's stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved too much for Kentucky, as the Cyclones overcame a slow start to pull away in the second half and advance to the Sweet 16. The health of Iowa State's star forward Joshua Jefferson will be a key storyline heading into the next round.