Iowa State Cyclones Make Men's Basketball Program History Defeating Baylor Bears

The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team has made some impressive history with their win over the Baylor Bears.

Jan 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) reacts after scoring a three-point basket during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones faced another stiff test in their most recent game, heading on the road for the first time in conference play to face off against the Baylor Bears.

Winning games on the road is a challenge regardless of the venue. But there is a little extra juice during conference games, facing off against opponents in hostile environments that know each other so well.

In the early going, the Cyclones looked like a team that hadn’t been challenged in a while. Their last game away from Hilton Coliseum was on Dec. 6 against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena, which they won in historic fashion, and put them on the map in the eyes of many people as a contender.

Against Baylor, it took a little while for Iowa State to get going, but they eventually found their footing. A 25-24 lead was taken into halftime and they ended up winning the game 70-60 to move to 15-0 on the season and 2-0 in Big 12 play.

Iowa State makes history with 15-0 start

Jan 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) drives to the basket against Baylor Bears guard Dan Skillings Jr. (0) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

That win meant more than any early January win in program history because it was historic. The 2025-26 men’s basketball team now owns the best start in school history and the longest winning streak in a season.

Leading the way for the Cyclones were two of their stars: point guard Tamin Lipsey and forward Joshua Jefferson. The third member of their Big 3, forward Milan Momcilovic, had an off night with only four points in 24 minutes without making a three-pointer, but his teammates more than made up for it.

The Best Start. EVER.#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/tLENeg1Obc

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 8, 2026

Lipsey battled foul trouble in the first half, which almost certainly contributed to the team’s struggles. He played 27 minutes in the game and was as impactful as anyone, scoring a game-high 24 points.

It was an incredibly efficient night for the Ames product, who made 8-of-12 shots overall, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 from the foul line.

Jefferson wasn’t nearly as efficient as Lipsey, but he stuffed the stat sheet for a monster double-double, his fifth of the season. He scored 19 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds as a one-man wrecking crew on the interior in his 38 minutes of action.

Highlights from Last Night's Victory ⤵️#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/QvkhJkzqgv

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 8, 2026

It is easy to see why Jefferson is near the top of so many award lists near the midway point of the season. He is stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis on both ends of the floor and leading Iowa State to historic heights.

The Cyclones will look to keep their undefeated record intact when they take the court on Jan. 10. They will be back home at Hilton Coliseum, hosting the Oklahoma State Cowboys.