Iowa State Cyclones Have Elite Interior Defender To Elevate Team's Performance

A dominant Iowa State Cyclones defense comes with one key interior player.

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There has been one consistent with every season’s Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team since T.J. Otzelberger took over for Steve Prohm in the 2021-2022 campaign; they got after it on defense.

In four years, the lowest the Cyclones have finished in defensive rating is 27th in 2022-23. They have finished as high as No. 2 in the country, accomplishing that feat during the 2023-24 campaign. Stifling opponents on the defensive end has become the program’s identity, with Otzelberger finding players who fit the scheme perfectly.

Setting the tone at the top of his defense is point guard Tamin Lipsey. Entering his senior year, he has been a member of the Big 12 All-Defense Team for two seasons in a row. One of the elite pickpocketers in conference history, he is considered the best point of attack defender in college basketball.

Iowa State Has Two Elite Individual Defenders

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Having a guard who can patrol the perimeter and disrupt an opponent’s offense before it gets going is key. Getting them deep into a shot clock and not allowing a team to start their set is imperative to finding success defensively. But to take that unit to another level, it takes more than one player.

Iowa State most certainly has that. Everyone is committed to Otzelberger’s defensive scheme and executing the game plan. However, what separates the Cyclones from their peers is that they have multiple elite individual defenders.

Along with Lipsey, Iowa State has the luxury of having an interior defender who can anchor the backline. Forward Joshua Jefferson was named one of the most sturdy interior defenders in the nation. Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports placed him at No. 2 on the list, behind only Zuby Ejiofor of the St. John’s Red Storm.

“Jefferson is just a pest who gets a bunch of deflections and makes your life miserable. He's not super-duper fast, but he's a savvy defender who knows when and where to be. His on-ball defense is as good as it gets for a 4-man,” Trotter wrote.

Joshua Jefferson Is Game Changer With Interior Defense

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In his first season with the Cyclones, Jefferson averaged 2.1 steals and 0.7 blocks in only 29.6 minutes per game. The steals average and his 74 total both finished third in the conference. His individual defensive rating, per College Basketball Reference, of 92.0 is elite. A 2.7 Defensive Win Shares number was the highest in the Big 12. 4.1% steal rate and 3.0% block rate were both single-season career bests.

A key aspect of a team ending a defensive possession is grabbing the rebound. That is another area Jefferson was excellent in during the 2024-25 campaign. He grabbed 259 total rebounds, which was sixth in the Big 12. His 193 defensive rebounds were fourth.

What truly sets him apart on defense is his versatility. He gets the job done, no matter what Otzelberger is asking of him. As Trotter noted, he is as good as it gets as an on-ball defender, but he brings plenty more to the table.

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“He's right up in your grill and impossible to back down. He stonewalls dudes left and right, and he notched the highest steal rate for any high-major big man,” Trotter added.

It should come as no surprise that the last two defenses Jefferson anchored, with St. Mary’s in 2023-24 and Iowa State last year, were both in the top 15 of the nation.