4 Takeaways From Iowa State Big 12 Tournament Win Over Arizona State

The Iowa State Cyclones ended their regular season with a victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils to reach their 25th win of the season, earning the No. 5 seed in the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

That set them up to begin postseason play against the same team they ended the regular season against. The Cyclones had a bye into the second round and played against the Sun Devils in their first game.

Much like the regular season finale, Iowa State dominated the contest. Every facet of the game was owned by the Cyclones, who won 91-42 and are now set to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the quarterfinals.

Iowa State is heading into that matchup with plenty of positive momentum. Here are the biggest takeaways from their win over Arizona State.

Joshua Jefferson Gets on Track

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson looking to make pass defended by Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop. — Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) protects the ball from Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Over the last few weeks, Joshua Jefferson has looked out of sync on offense. He hasn’t been efficient in scoring the ball and has suffered from a bout of turnovers. However, he got things going against the Sun Devils.

He stuffed the stat sheet, scoring 20 points with 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals. It was the first time since Feb. 7 against the Baylor Bears that he shot at least 50% from the field, snapping an eight-game streak.

It was also his first double-digit rebound game since Jan. 20 against the UCF Knights, when he recorded his second triple-double of the campaign.

This is the version of Jefferson that the Cyclones need if they are going to compete for a Big 12 title and national championship.

Dominant Defense

Arizona State Sun Devils guard Vijay Wallace driving against Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson, guard Nate Heise. — Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Vijay Wallace (7) drives around Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) and Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise (0) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Throughout T.J. Otzelberger’s tenure with Iowa State, they have been a great defensive team. Against Arizona State, that was on full display as they proved to be way too much for Bobby Hurley’s squad to overcome.

The Cyclones held the Sun Devils to 15-of-47 overall from the field. Only one 3-pointer was converted against them on 19 attempts.

Iowa State also forced 23 turnovers, converting them into 25 points. With 10 steals, the Cyclones were able to get into the open court for easy buckets time and time again, leading by as many as 49 points in the game.

Killyan Toure Breaks 3-Point Spell

Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure shooting jump shot. — Feb 28, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure (27) shoots against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

If Iowa State is going to continue what has already been a historic campaign in so many ways, they need Killyan Toure to make his presence felt offensively. He doesn’t have to be Milan Momcilovic shooting 3-pointers, but he has to make opposing defenses respect him.

He knocked down a shot from long range against Arizona State, snapping a five-game streak without one. It is imperative to the team’s success that he at least keeps the defense honest.

Part of the reason the Cyclones’ offensive rating has been heading in the wrong direction is that they are ignoring Toure, putting more attention on Jefferson and Momcilovic. It has led to some ugly stretches that can become less frequent if Toure can knock down a few jumpers.

Free Throw Woes Continue

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson shooting free throw. — Jan 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

There wasn’t much that Iowa State didn’t do well against Arizona State. However, there was one concerning development that has been an issue all season long: their free-throw shooting.

It didn’t hurt them in a 49-point victory, but it is something to keep an eye on. They made only 15-of-25 attempts, with that 60% showing dropping their already poor 68.0% shooting on the season even further.

Guys deep on the depth chart, such as Eric Mulder and Cade Kelderman, going 1-for-3 certainly didn’t help, but Blake Buchanan didn’t help matters going 3-for-7. It was the only blemish for the starting center, who scored a season-high 17 points, the second most in a single game in his career.