No. 7 Cyclones Dominate No. 12 Arizona State in Largest Big 12 Tournament Win

Iowa State cruises to 91-42 victory, setting a new tournament record for largest margin of victory.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:08pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The No. 7 Iowa State Cyclones delivered a dominant performance, defeating the No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils 91-42 in the Big 12 Tournament. This marked the largest win in Big 12 Tournament history. The Cyclones set the tone early, limiting Arizona State's offense and capitalizing on turnovers to build a 29-point halftime lead. Iowa State's stifling defense, balanced scoring, and control of the boards proved too much for the Sun Devils to overcome.

Why it matters

This decisive victory showcases Iowa State's ability to thrive in all facets of the game, from defense to rebounding to scoring. The Cyclones' confidence and focus will be crucial as they advance deeper into the tournament, where they hope to make a strong push for the championship.

The details

Iowa State got off to a slow start, not scoring in the first three minutes. But a steal by freshman guard Killyan Toure led to a layup by junior forward Milan Momcilovic, sparking the Cyclones' offense. From there, Iowa State's defense limited Arizona State's scoring opportunities, going on a 22-2 run and outscoring the Sun Devils 30-22 in the first half. The Cyclones forced 15 turnovers in the first half, scoring 18 points off those miscues. Iowa State also dominated the boards, outrebounding Arizona State 38-32 and securing 17 second-chance points.

  • The Cyclones defeated Arizona State 86-65 earlier this season, coming back from a four-point halftime deficit.
  • Iowa State led Arizona State 45-16 at halftime of the Big 12 Tournament matchup.

The players

Blake Buchanan

A junior forward for Iowa State who had a season-high 17 points and 6 rebounds in the game.

Nate Heise

A redshirt senior guard for Iowa State who emphasized the team's focus on pressuring the ball and creating turnovers.

Joshua Jefferson

A senior forward for Iowa State who grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 20 points in the victory.

Bobby Hurley

The head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils, who received a technical foul during the game.

Anthony Johnson

A senior guard for the Arizona State Sun Devils who also received a technical foul.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We talked about setting the tone like we did in the second half of that game. Just coming out, we saw the film this morning, kind of what we needed to do, but it just came out, first couple of possessions, steals, a little early run and then it kind of just takes care of itself to get that energy.”

— Blake Buchanan, Junior Forward, Iowa State (iowastatedaily.com)

“We've taken pride in the last couple of games in pressuring the ball and playing fast on offense. The games prior, before this game, we just hadn't pressured the ball and turned them over as much. But at the start of this game today, got turnovers and that led us.”

— Nate Heise, Redshirt Senior Guard, Iowa State (iowastatedaily.com)

“If you win the rebounding battle, you have a better chance of winning the game. So that's just my goal to crash the board.”

— Joshua Jefferson, Senior Forward, Iowa State (iowastatedaily.com)

What’s next

The Cyclones will advance to the next round of the Big 12 Tournament, where they will face the winner of the matchup between No. 3 seed Kansas and No. 6 seed Oklahoma State.

The takeaway

Iowa State's dominant performance in the Big 12 Tournament showcases their ability to thrive on both ends of the court. The Cyclones' stifling defense, balanced scoring, and control of the boards will make them a formidable opponent as they continue their push for the championship.