Tamin Lipsey Looking To Accomplish Career First With Iowa State Against Kansas

Tamin Lipsey and the Iowa State Cyclones are facing a stiff test against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) celebrates last second of the second half against Kansas Jayhawks in the Big-12 conference showdown of an NCAA college basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Iowa State Cyclones point guard Tamin Lipsey has accomplished so many great things during his career with the men’s basketball program.

A hometown product who went to Ames High School, he is living out a childhood dream by suiting up for Iowa State. Just about midway through his senior season, he continues moving up the school’s all-time lists in several categories.

Lipsey is going to go down as one of the most productive players in Cyclone history. He is one of a dying breed in men’s college basketball, set to spend his entire four-year collegiate career with one program.

His resume is as impressive as any player who has suited up for Iowa State, but there is still time to add to it. The Cyclones have never been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, but that could occur if they continue keeping up this pace and the Arizona Wildcats, currently atop the Top 25, slip up like the Michigan Wolverines did this past weekend.

Tamin Lipsey looking for first career win at Kansas

Nov 15, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks fans cheer prior to a game against the Princeton Tigers at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

To have any chance of moving into the No. 1 spot, Iowa State needs to keep winning basketball games. Their next opponent presents a massive challenge for them to overcome, as they head on the road to face the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.

Winning on the road against the gold standard in the Big 12 would not only be a major accomplishment for the program as a whole, but would be another bullet point added to Lipsey’s resume that is currently missing.

Throughout his tenure with the program, he has yet to pick up a victory at The Phog.

500 Dimes for The Kid from Ames.#Cyclones | #C5C | @TaminLipsey pic.twitter.com/vp9K2UkPoP

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 12, 2026

"It's always a good atmosphere, a good time," Lipsey said via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). "Haven't been able to come up with a win, so I'm hoping we can change that this time. But I'm looking forward to a fun atmosphere.”

This will be the 101st game that the Cyclones play against the Jayhawks on their home court. In the first 100 games of this series, Kansas has dominated, winning 84 times.

Kansas head coach Bill Self is the coach every other coach in the Big 12 aspires to be as successful as. He has led the Jayhawks on a truly dominant stretch throughout his tenure, but the tides are beginning to turn with other programs emerging.

Iowa State hasn't found much success at Kansas

Feb 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

T.J. Otzelberger has Iowa State on the map thanks to recruiting and retaining players such as Lipsey. He sets the tone as the team’s leader on the floor and is hoping to pick up his first victory at an arena that has been a house of horrors for visiting teams.

"To go into Allen Fieldhouse and get a win is not easy. So, it definitely would mean a lot,” the senior point guard added.

This will be the last opportunity of Lipsey’s career to fill that one gap on his resume. It feels as if this is as good a chance as the team has had since their last victory in Lawrence back in 2017, when the Cyclones won 92-89 in overtime.

The last time Iowa State won at Kansas in regulation? That would be 2001; two years before Lipsey was born and the same amount of time before Self took over as head coach.