Iowa State Cyclones Dynamic Duo Named to Naismith Defensive Player of Year Watchlist

The Iowa State Cyclones have one of the best defenses in the country and two of their players are being recognized for their efforts.

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3)celebrates with Iforward Joshua Jefferson (5) and forward Milan Momcilovic (22) after a three-point play during the second half on Jan. 2, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones 2025-26 men’s basketball team could go down as one of the best the school has ever seen.

They got off to the best start in program history, winning the first 16 games of the season. That was also the longest winning streak at any point in a campaign, catapulting them near the top of the AP Poll.

There are a lot of reasons why the Cyclones are succeeding as much as they are on the court with a 19-2 record. Near the top of that list is how good they have been playing on the defensive end of the court.

Iowa State suffocates its opponents with an aggressive defense that has a lot of trapping. They look to speed teams up, which leads to turnovers being created and easy baskets in transition.

Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson land on Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watchlist

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) celebrates a after a score against UFC during the first half in the Big-12 conference on Jan. 20, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Given how well the team has performed, it should come as no surprise that some of their players are being recognized for their defense performance thus far this season.

As shared by the Iowa State Men’s Basketball official account on X, point guard Tamin Lipsey and forward Joshua Jefferson have both been named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award watchlist.

They have been a driving force behind the Cyclones, allowing only 65 points per game, which is 16th in the country. Their defensive rating of 93.8 is good for 11th.

Lock Down Defenders 🔒

📰: https://t.co/ylhUebA7ko#Cyclones | #C5C | @Joshua_LV0 | @TaminLipsey pic.twitter.com/KZb0mLY8x3

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 29, 2026

Iowa State, represented by Lipsey and Jefferson, is one of six schools with multiple representatives on the list. The five other schools, the Duke Blue Devils, Illinois Fighting Illini, UConn Huskies, Michigan Wolverines and Vanderbilt Commodores have multiple players on the list as well.

There were six Big 12 representatives on the list, the most of any conference. Joining the Cyclones duo is Flory Bidunga of the Kansas Jayhawks, Jaden Bradley of the Arizona Wildcats, Keba Keita of the BYU Cougars and Joseph Tugler of the Houston Cougars.

Lipsey and Jefferson both stuffing stat sheet

Jan 20, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) defends the shot from UCF Knights guard Carmelo Pacheco (11) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Seeing Lipsey on the list is no surprise. He has become an annual threat to take home the award, finishing as a finalist in 2024 and a semifinalist in 2025.

Already the all-time leader in Cyclones history with 278 steals, Lipsey is also fourth on the Big 12 all-time list.

Jefferson joining him on the list is certainly a surprise to some, but it speaks volumes to how much he has bought into T.J. Otzelberger’s system and risen to the occasion this season when the team needed him.

He takes on major responsibility as a two-way impact performer, cleaning the boards with 7.8 rebounds and averaging 2.4 STOCKS per game as well.