Three Thoughts on Iowa State’s 67-56 Win Over Washington State
The Iowa State Cyclones took on the Washington State Cougars in the Round of 32 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Cyclones were a No. 2 seed in March Madness after winning the Big 12 Tournament last week, while Washington State was a No. 7 seed playing in its first NCAA Tournament since 2008. The Cyclones were looking to make their first Sweet 16 since 2022, with Washington State 16 years removed from its last trip to the second weekend of the Big Dance.
On Saturday, it was Iowa State winning 67-56 over the Cougars. Here are three thoughts on the game.
The Key Stretch
Iowa State led 36-35 with just under 14 minutes left in the game, but then came the key stretch for the Cyclones, where they got hot from deep. First, it was Tamin Lipsey with a three pointer to make it 39-35. After a WSU turnover, it was Curtis Jones who knocked down a three the next time down the court to make it 42-35. And after Jones missed a three, Milan Momcilovic drained a three of his own to make it 45-37 Cyclones. It felt like the turning point in this game where Iowa State, and Hilton West in Omaha, took over the game and the arena, as the Cyclones never looked back, despite an early deficit.
Turnover Margin
Iowa State has lived off turnovers all season, and that’s exactly what the Cyclones did on Saturday. Washington State averaged 10.9 turnovers per game, and was -.3 in turnover margin per game. But the Cyclones came in No. 2 in the country with a +6.8 turnover margin per game and took full advantage in that category on Saturday.
Iowa State forced 13 turnovers, and were +7 in that category, while scoring 21 points off those 13 WSU turnovers. Meantime, Washington State only scored four points off the six Iowa State turnovers.
It was one of the key differences in this game that helped the Cyclones punch a ticket to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years.
Another Sweet 16
This is the seventh Sweet 16 in Iowa State history and the second in the last three season. Iowa State made a Sweet 16 in 2022 in T.J. Otzelberger‘s first season as head coach. That season, the Cyclones were a 10 seed, so expectations are clearly different this year as a No. 2 seed in the East Regional. In 2022, the Cyclones lost to Miami in their Sweet 16 match up.
This year, the Cyclones will take on either No. 3 Illinois or No. 11 Duquesne in the next round of the Big Dance. No matter what, they will be a favorite before an expected meeting with No. 1 seed UConn, which, if we get it, could be one of the great games of the tournament.
But now, Cyclone Nation takes its rabid fan base east to Boston, and something tells me Beantown has no idea what’s coming its way. Stack up on your Busch Light now, Boston bars, and thanks me later.
