URGENT UPDATE: Iowa State’s star point guard Tamin Lipsey suffered a significant injury late in an intense matchup, leaving his status for the remainder of the Players Era Festival in serious doubt. The Cyclones narrowly defeated St. John’s 83-82 on Monday evening in Las Vegas, but the thrilling victory was overshadowed by Lipsey’s distressing exit.
With just 2:09 left on the clock, Lipsey went down after a three-pointer by St. John’s Oziyah Sellers. He remained on the floor for several tense minutes while head coach T.J. Otzelberger attended to him. Lipsey eventually left the court gingerly, covering his face with his jersey, prompting immediate concerns about his health.
“We’re still evaluating,” Otzelberger stated post-game. “It’s going to be a day-to-day, lower-body extremity issue, so I don’t have great detail on it.”
As a two-time All-Big 12 selection, Lipsey’s absence would be a massive blow to Iowa State. He is currently averaging 18.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.2 steals this season after battling injuries throughout last year’s campaign. His leadership on the court has been pivotal for the Cyclones, who are now 5-0 this season.
Junior forward Milan Momcilovic expressed the team’s concern, saying, “That’s our guy. He runs the team. It’s obviously disappointing to see him go down. But we have a next-player-step-up mentality.”
Despite the injury, Iowa State managed to secure the victory against a formidable St. John’s squad, ranked No. 14. The Cyclones had an early lead, but St. John’s fought back, taking a 45-43 advantage at halftime. The second half was a nail-biter, featuring nine lead changes and a hard-fought battle for rebounds.
With 3:07 left in the game, Iowa State held a five-point lead before St. John’s surged ahead with back-to-back three-pointers from Sellers, who finished with 20 points. However, Momcilovic’s driving finish restored Iowa State’s lead, allowing them to edge out St. John’s in the final moments.
Iowa State’s dominance on the boards played a crucial role in their win, securing 17 offensive rebounds and converting them into 22 second-chance points. Coach Rick Pitino of St. John’s acknowledged the struggle: “With the game on the line, we just didn’t come up with the rebounds necessary to put the other team away.”
Momcilovic shone in the game, scoring 23 points and sinking five three-pointers, while teammate Joshua Jefferson added 17 points and 8 rebounds. St. John’s frontcourt trio of Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Dillon Mitchell combined for 44 points and 25 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Iowa State’s tenacity.
Looking ahead, Iowa State will face Creighton on Tuesday, while St. John’s prepares to take on Baylor. The health of Tamin Lipsey will be a key storyline as fans and analysts await further updates on his condition.