FORT WORTH – It was a setup that screamed ‘schedule loss.’
No. 20 Iowa State was playing without its point guard, best player and most important piece, Tamin Lipsey, against No. 22 TCU at Schollmaier Arena. It's a venue where the Horned Frogs were not only undefeated heading into Saturday's matchup but had toppled two top-10 teams the previous week.
The Cyclones would compete, of course, but, ultimately, the circ*mstances surely would just prove to be too much to overcome.
Iowa State was not content to follow that script.
Fueled by a tenacious defense generating turnover after turnover, Iowa State defeated TCU, 73-72, on Saturday afternoon.
"As your team moves forward, you know you’re going to encounter adversity," Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said, "and we did the job we needed to do today at handling that adversity."
The Cyclones (14-4, 3-2 Big 12) did it despite Lipsey being posted up on the bench in sweats while dealing with a shoulder sprain. Much of the thanks for the win goes to the huge contributions of Keshon Gilbert, who assumed nearly all of Lipsey’s point guard responsibilities and delivered 20 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Curtis Jones, who started in place of Lipsey, added 17 points and four assists
It was not an afternoon without drama, however, as Iowa State saw a second-half lead that reached as many as 19 slip to just four points in the game’s final minute before the Cyclones were able to nail the door shut.A last-second 3-pointer by TCU accounted for the final margin of a single point.
Iowa State forced 27 turnovers, the most it has ever created in a Big 12 game. The Cyclones scored 36 points off those giveaways.
"I hate to say the word – but 27 turnovers, it makes it hard," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said."This is the way they wanted to beat us, and they did."
Tamin Lipsey’s absence still looms
It was a play that happens time and again, in a game that was already all but decided. But when Lipsey reached his left arm out to try and slow BYU’s Richie Saunders’ path to the basket on Tuesday, it left the Cyclone star wincing and grabbing at his left shoulder.
It also left Iowa State down a critical player, at least in the short term.
"It was something I sort of felt last year at the Oklahoma game at home," Lipsey told The Register following Saturday's game. "It was something that happened last year, so I was familiar with it.
"Just didn’t feel right."
Lipsey leads Iowa State in scoring (14.5 ppg), rebounding (5.5 rpg), assists (5.6 apg) and steals (3.4 spg) while also serving as the team’s pacesetter with his relentless style of play.
"Tamin’s a real big hustle player," Gilbert said. "He gets a lot of 50-50 balls, does a lot of little things. We hung our hat on holding it down for him and doing the things he does."
His absence was absorbed thanks to some big performances by Iowa State’s other guards, specifically Gilbert and Jones.
Gilbert was 8 of 15 from the floor and played 37 minutes. Jones was 6 of 12 shooting in 33 minutes, Both players logged their season-highs in minutes played.
"I kind of approached it like any other day," Jones said. "Obviously you know you’re going to have a bigger role this game, but the coaches gave me confidence the whole week. My teammates gave me confidence the whole week to be myself."
The shoulder sprain is not expected to keep Lipsey sidelined for an extended period. There is optimism he could be back on the court for what will be a critical week for Iowa State, which will host a pair of home games against Kansas State and No. 4 Kansas.
"I’m hopeful to play Wednesday," Lipsey said. "That’s the goal."
Iowa State’s ability to defend homecourt will likely be a major factor in the Cyclones’ ability to make a third-straight NCAA Tournament. Given how formidable Hilton Coliseum historically has been along with how difficult winning on the road is in the Big 12, stacking home victories is the surest path for Iowa State to fortify its tournament resume.
"(Lipsey) definitely needed this opportunity not to be out there," Otzelberger said. "We’ll continue to do what’s in his best interest.
"It’s day-to-day, so I would say there’s a chance (he'll play Wednesday), but we’ve got to make sure that first and foremost that his health and his safety, his well-being that he gets back to being healthy."
Turnovers, turnovers and more turnovers
Iowa State ranked in the top 10 nationally in forcing turnovers in both of Otzelberger's first two seasons at Iowa State. This season, the Cyclones once again ranked among the best at it coming into Saturday.
They'd done nothing, though, like what they did against the Horned Frogs.
TCU turned it over nine times in the game's first five-and-a-half minutes, 18 times in the first half and 27 times in the game. It eclipses the 26 turnovers Iowa State forced against Colorado on March 3, 2004 for the most-ever by the Cyclones in a Big 12 game.
"It’s hard to fathom," Dixon said. "We just didn’t handle it well."
Certainly, TCU's clumsiness with the ball played a part, but Iowa State's ball pressure and team defense caused the Horned Frogs issues all day.
Jones had seven steals, which would have matched the Iowa State single-game record had Lipsey not recorded eight in a game earlier this season.
"I think the ball pressure got to them," Jones said.
Up next
With a pair of road games behind them, Iowa State now returns home to take on the whole state of Kansas.
The Cyclones will face Kansas State on Wednesday (8 p.m.; ESPN2) and No. 4 Kansas on Saturday (12:30 p.m.; CBS) at Hilton Coliseum.
The Wildcats (13-4, 3-1) have won five of six heading into their Saturday night matchup against No. 16 Oklahoma.
Iowa State snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Jayhawks (15-2, 3-1) last season when the Cyclones bested them in Ames.
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him atthines@amestrib.comor(515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball picks up Big 12 road win over TCU
