Iowa State Cyclones Overwhelmed Grambling State in Key Area To Get Blowout Victory

The Iowa State Cyclones blew out the Grambling State Tigers, dominating one key area of the game.

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The Iowa State Cyclones played their second buy game of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season on Thursday night, hosting the Grambling State Tigers.

After defeating the Fairleigh Dickson Knights for the season opener on Monday, the Cyclones were able to move to 2-0, defeating the Tigers 102-62. It was an impressive all-around performance by the team, receiving contributions from up and down the roster.

When playing in a game that has such a talent disparity, it is imperative to get off to a hot start and impose your will early on. Iowa State did that against Fairleigh Dickinson, but it was far from a perfect performance.

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger focused on areas his team needed to improve, such as on the offensive glass. Nine offensive rebounds were secured, and only three second-chance points were scored against the Knights.

T.J. Otzelberger emphasizes offensive rebounding

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On Thursday, the team made sure to hit the offensive boards with aggression, keeping possessions alive and creating second-chance point opportunities.

"Tonight, we imposed our will on the glass far more than we had done up to this point," Otzelberger said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). "But it needs to not be a one-game thing that we applaud. It needs to be the consistency of that standard."

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

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 7, 2025

In the first half, the process was there. The Cyclones overwhelmed Grambling State, grabbing seven offensive rebounds. However, the efficiency was lacking. They turned it into only four second-chance points.

After halftime, the team got rolling in that regard. Eight more offensive rebounds were secured, but this time, they made it count. Imposing their size and strength advantage, Iowa State poured in 13 second-chance points, extending what was a 14-point lead at intermission into a 40-point blowout.

Iowa State dominated Grambling State in rebounding department

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"That was the emphasis," Otzelberger added following the victory. "We've been talking a lot; that's a big part of our offense. Certainly, transition, we want to generate points in transition off of our defense. But those second-chance points are huge."

Center Blake Buchanan and shockingly point guard Tamin Lipsey led the team with four offensive rebounds apiece. Forward Joshua Jefferson and backup center Eric Mulder pulled down three each.

It is fair to say the Cyclones bullied the Tigers on Thursday night in the paint. They dominated the boards, grabbing 43 rebounds, 15 on the offensive glass, compared to only 25 total rebounds for the Tigers.

That kind of performance on the interior is exactly what Otzelberger wants to see. An opponent’s spirit can be broken with a little extra effort on the offensive glass, keeping them on the defensive end longer than they want to be.