How Iowa State Can Take Down Tennessee State in the NCAA Tournament

The Iowa State Cyclones can defeat the Tennessee State Tigers excelling in these areas of the game.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) is recognized during senior day before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones begin their 2026 March Madness campaign on Friday, March 20, where they take on the Tennessee State Tigers.

Iowa State is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, while Tennessee State is the 15 seed. The Cyclones come in as a heavy favorite and likely will take down the Tigers, but it’s going to take a fight.

Tennessee State has an intriguing roster that could contradict Iowa State. They play a two guard front, where the top two backcourt stars do everything for them.

Aaron Nkrumah, a 6-foot-6 senior guard, is averaging 17.6 points per game for the Tigers. He plays big, passes the ball well, and is a solid shooter. But he’s not the only player that shines for them.

Keys to Iowa State defeating Tennessee State

Tennessee State coach Nolan Smith during a NCAA basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Tennessee State Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 20, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tigers also have Travis Harper II, a similar player and also a senior, who averages 17.3 points a game. He isn’t as strong of a rebounder or passer, but shoots the ball more efficiently. The two guys as a whole make up the Tennessee State roster.

The main way the Cyclones can win is if they can stop the backcourt of Nkrumah and Harper, which they certainly could do.

Iowa State has two guards, Tamin Lipsey and Killyan Toure, who are able to defend any backcourt in the country. Lipsey and Toure are both some of the best perimeter defenders in the country, and can stop any star on any given day.

Even players off the bench, such as Jamarion Batemon and Nate Heise, can get steals and stops for the Cyclones. The overall collective of guards is going to have to stop the guards as a whole.

Setting the Stage. #Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/iOgymTp0VW

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) March 20, 2026

Offensively, it’s going to need to be a mix of the big three scoring. Along with Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson are both going to have to step up against Tennessee State.

For Momcilovic, he’s going to have to hit a lot of shots, get the offense moving around, and allow others to flourish. For Jefferson, he’s going to have to run the offense as a leader, and if things go wrong, he will be the senior leader who will help everything go Iowa State’s way when needed.

It’s going to be a tough first-round test for Iowa State, but the Cyclones should handle the Tigers, especially if they stop the guards, use depth to their advantage, and allow their stars to flourish on the offensive side of the ball.