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Myron Medcalf
WACO, Texas — Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger declared point guard Tamin Lipsey second to none after he helped the Cyclones cap the best start in school history Wednesday night.
«Obviously, you’re talking about the guy who I’m taking over any point guard in America,» Otzelberger said after No. 3 Iowa State beat Baylor 70-60. «We’ve got the best point guard in the country.»
That’s a strong statement considering a national pool packed with elite point guards, including Purdue’s Braden Smith, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Alabama’s Labaron Philon. But Lipsey’s heroics this season have been the catalyst to Iowa State’s historic 15-0 start, which is also the program’s longest winning streak, according to ESPN Research.
After picking up two early fouls against the Bears, Lipsey finished with just four points in a first half that saw Iowa State trail by as many as eight. But Lipsey scored 20 points after halftime as the Cyclones pulled away.
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«Obviously, not having him out there quite as much in the first half impacted where the game was at,» Otzelberger said. «But man, in that second half, the plays he made, the shots he made, it was amazing, especially when you have to bounce back when your normal routine and rhythm of the game is disrupted because of the fouls. So I trust him.»
Lipsey, who was born and raised in Ames, Iowa, said it’s a dream to help the program reach this mark.
«I’ve been a Cyclone all my life,» he said. «I just got on the court four years ago, though. Watching all those [Iowa State] teams growing up and just realizing now I have a chance right now to make a footprint for Iowa State and just the community of Ames and all of that? I never take that for granted.»
There were other interesting storylines at Foster Pavilion outside of Lipsey’s performance.
In the stands, Baylor football coach Dave Aranda sat next to former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who was visiting the school after he entered the transfer portal following a bumpy 2025 season with the Gators. In the first half, Baylor fans chanted, «We want DJ! We want DJ!» as Lagway, the son of former Baylor running back Derek Lagway, smiled.
Former Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett also was in the stands watching the game more than a year after his surprise retirement prior to the 2024-25 season.
James Nnaji, the first former NBA draft pick to be cleared to play by the NCAA, took part in his first home game. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and other coaches have spoken publicly against Baylor’s decision to add Nnaji to its roster midseason, and NCAA president Charlie Baker has since stated that the organization will not clear any players who have signed NBA or two-way contracts amid the backlash.
Nnaji finished with two points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes. Baylor coach Scott Drew said the 7-foot center is still working on his conditioning after recovering from an injury.
«James is getting in shape, so again, remember he was seven months of rehabbing, no 5-on-5,» Drew said after the game. «It wasn’t like he was with the team going up and down and playing. He’s our sixth or seventh oldest on the team. He’s doing a great job for where he’s at right now.»
In the win, Iowa State proved again that it can play with any team in the country.
«If you ask me right now today, them and Michigan are the two best in college basketball,» Drew said.
