Iowa State Cyclones Showed Just How Dominant Defense Can Be Against Mississippi State

Under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, the Iowa State Cyclones have been dominant defensively. They showcased just how good they can be against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones started 2-0 in the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, defeating the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights and Grambling State Tigers with ease.

They knew tougher matchups lay ahead, with their first test of the season coming on Monday night against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The SEC program has experienced a turnaround under Chris Jans, similar to what the Cyclones have undergone with T.J. Otzelberger.

Since each head coach took over their respective programs, the teams have participated in the NCAA Tournament. That could very well happen again this season, but Iowa State proved to be a little further ahead in its emergence.

Iowa State's defense leads team to convincing win over Mississippi State

Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Cyclones picked up a dominant victory at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 96-80. They were able to set the tone right from the opening tip, controlling tempo and pace with their suffocating defense.

Giving up 80 points in a game is certainly something Otzelberger will want his team to improve. Mississippi State was very efficient from the field, making 50% of their shots overall and 40.7% of their 3-point attempts.

So, how did Iowa State come away with a blowout victory despite allowing those strong shooting numbers? They had an overwhelming edge in volume.

🌪️🌪️🌪️ https://t.co/B2VHexYzDb

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 11, 2025

The Cyclones attempted 12 more shots and 11 more free throw attempts in large part because of how frequently they were able to turn the Bulldogs over. Mississippi State committed 26 turnovers in the game, leading to 29 points for Iowa State.

Tamin Lipsey led the way with three steals, while Dominick Nelson added two off the bench. In total, the team had 12 steals and five blocks in a dominant showing.

Turning opponents over at a high frequency is something that Otzelberger has been able to get his teams to do better than previous coaches. As shared by Chris Andringa on X, this is already the eighth time during his tenure that an opponent has turned the ball over at least 25 times in a game.

From the 1996-97 campaign through 2020-21, the last season before Otzelberger was hired, the Cyclones managed only eight such performances.

25+ turnovers by @CycloneMBB opponent:

'96-'97 through '20-'21: 8 times
'21-'22 to present (Otzelberger era): 8 times

— Chris Andringa (@cjandringa) November 11, 2025

Iowa State has built a defensive game plan that limits opponents from being able to attack the baseline. The Bulldogs tried their hand at beating them in that fashion and were denied repeatedly.

Bad passes were made, resulting in both dead-ball and live-ball turnovers that the Cyclones took full advantage of. Deflections also played a role in disrupting the Mississippi State offensive attack.

Coming into the season, Iowa State was projected to have one of the best defenses in the country. They are solidifying that standing in the early going, dominating a team that has made three straight NCAA tournament appearances.