Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State Basketball Made Big 12 Tournament History Against Arizona State

Big 12 tournament history was made by the Iowa State Cyclones in their dominant win over the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Kenneth Teape|
Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Eric Mulder (4) and guard Killyan Toure (27) and guard Anthony Rise (7) and forward Joshua Jefferson (5) walk off the court after the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum.
Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Eric Mulder (4) and guard Killyan Toure (27) and guard Anthony Rise (7) and forward Joshua Jefferson (5) walk off the court after the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Iowa State CyclonesArizona State Sun Devils

The Iowa State Cyclones had a bit of a surprise in their first game of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

For the second straight game, they would be facing off against the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Cyclones ended their regular season against them, winning 86-65 on Senior Day at Hilton Coliseum for their 25th victory of the campaign.

In the second matchup in four days, Iowa State performed even better. This time around, they made some Big 12 tournament history during their 91-42 blowout win.

As shared by ESPN on X, the 49-point margin of victory was the largest in the history of the Big 12 tournament. It was a masterclass on both ends of the floor for T.J. Otzelberger’s squad, who got off to a 7-0 start in the contest and never looked back.

Iowa State makes Big 12 history dominating Arizona State

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic shooting layup.
Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) shoots the ball during the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Had the Cyclones not scored a single point in the second half, they would still have won the game, given the substantial lead they established in the first half. Iowa State led 45-16 at halftime in what was a dismantling from start to finish.

The Cyclones held the Sun Devils to 15-of-47 shooting overall (31.9%) and an eye-popping 1-of-19 from 3-point range (5.3%). Iowa State also forced Arizona State into 23 turnovers, which were turned into 25 points.

On the other end of the court, the Cyclones were efficient. They shot 33-of-65 (50.8%) overall and knocked down 10-of-25 (40%) from 3-point range.

The only Achilles heel for Iowa State was once again their free throws. They shot an underwhelming 60%, making 15-of-25 attempts.

It marked the end of the Bobby Hurley era with the Sun Devils, as he was dismissed as head coach after 11 seasons following the loss.

As for the Cyclones, they will be heading into the quarterfinals, where they will be looking to exact some revenge on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Just under two weeks ago, Iowa State hosted Texas Tech at Hilton Coliseum. In a shocking turn of events, it was the Red Raiders who came away victorious, winning 82-73 and handing the Cyclones their first and only loss in Ames this season.

Set for a rematch, Iowa State will be highly motivated to return the favor to Texas Tech. They are heading into the game with a ton of momentum after dismantling Arizona State just 24 hours prior.

Despite not having JT Toppin in the lineup, the Red Raiders have proven to still be a formidable opponent. Their backcourt is now the strength of the team, led by Christian Anderson and sharpshooter Donovan Atwell.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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