Iowa State Basketball Has Best Defensive Backcourt in Nation

Since T.J. Otzelberger took over as head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team, there is one thing you could count on his teams to do: play defense.

His teams have always performed at an elite level on that end of the court. If players don’t get the job done on defense, getting on the court is a difficult endeavor. However, he has several players who are going to get after it on that end this season.

Point guard Tamin Lipsey has been one of the best defensive players in the country since starting his collegiate career in Ames. Currently eligible for a fifth season, he will once again fall into that category. However, for an exercise done over at CBS Sports, 5-in-5 seniors were not included in their selections of the best defensive players in the country.

Instead, his teammate, Killyan Toure, made the cut. Toure was one of four players selected to the First Team, an incredible accomplishment given the fact that he will be sidelined throughout mid-January at the very least because of a shoulder injury.

Killyan Toure is one of best defenders in college basketball

Iowa State player Killyan Toure interviews during the Big 12 Media Days event. — Oct 20, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State player Killyan Toure interviews during the Big 12 Media Days event at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The long-armed, 6-3 guard is pound-for-pound the best point-of-attack defender in America. He'll pick up opposing point guards for all 94 feet, and slowly but surely, just wear them out,” wrote Isaac Trotter.

It is a warranted selection, as his defensive ability is what led to him being inserted into the starting lineup for all 37 games that he played in as a freshman. Getting minutes for Otzelberger as a first-year player is hard enough; earning a starting job speaks to just how talented Toure is.

"He just has a way; he can break your spirit," Iowa State T.J. Otzelberger said. "Toughness. A look in his eye. A relentless nature to how he does it."

Full Speed Ahead#Cyclones | #C5C | @jaquan1145 pic.twitter.com/30rPsW0Sv4
— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) October 26, 2026

Eventually, he is going to join Lipsey in the backcourt again, giving them the strongest defensive duo in the country. But what really sets the Cyclones apart from other teams is that the rest of their backcourt depth chart gets after it on defense as well.

In the transfer portal, Iowa State landed a commitment from Jaquan Johnson. Viewed by many as an ideal replacement for Lipsey in the rotation, he will now have a chance to share the court with the Ames legend for the first half of the season, with Toure on the mend.

Johnson more than makes up for his lack of measurables with heart, determination and aggressiveness, playing much bigger than his size would suggest. The reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, he will fit in perfectly with the Cyclones, giving Otzelberger a three-headed monster to rely on at the point of attack defensively.

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