Three Iowa State Cyclones to Watch Ahead of Big 12 Battle with Arizona State

Here are three players to watch for the Iowa State Cyclones for their matchup on Wednesday against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) is defended by Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

After a few days of waiting for a team to advance to them, the Iowa State Cyclones are now ready for their first matchup of the Big 12 tournament. After receiving a first round bye due to regular season success, the Cyclones now will match up with a familiar foe in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

Iowa State is taking on the Arizona State Sun Devils, a team that they played just three days prior to the conference tournament meeting. In that game, Iowa State won by 21 points, courtesy of a 24-0 and an overall dominant second half from senior leaders.

Here are three Cyclones to watch ahead of Iowa State’s Matchup with Arizona State:

Tamin Lipsey

Lipsey is on here for a few reasons. Obviously, the guard played well on Saturday on senior night against Arizona State, and the Cyclones are going to need him again. But also, Lipsey is going to have to stop Sun Devils star Maurice Odum, who had a poor game in their first meeting. It’s going to take an effort on both ends of the floor, but if anyone can do it, it’s definitely Lipsey.

Joshua Jefferson

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

After a recent snub from Big 12 Player of the Year, Jefferson is going to come into the conference tournament with something to prove. In the first meeting with Arizona State, he had 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

It’s not only going to take another good game from Jefferson, but an all-around game as well. The forward is going to have to score at all three levels, pass the ball well, and be an intimidator on the defensive end. It’s a lot to ask from the senior, but Jefferson can do everything and has all season.

Dominykas Pleta

This third one is interesting. A lot of Arizona State’s offense comes from the inside, and it’s not just going to take one big, but multiple to stop the Sun Devils. Buchanan and Jefferson are going to have to step up in the starting lineup, but when rotations happen, Pleta is going to need to step up in the big moments.

In addition, Pleta is coming off his best game in months, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds in their win over Arizona State. It would be massive if the Cyclones could get another big man to be a threat for their potential run in the March Madness next week.