The Iowa State Cyclones took on Tennessee State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon in the Midwest Region. The Cyclones cruised to a comfortable 108-74 victory, but it wasn’t all roses for Iowa State, who is looking to make a deep run in the tournament this March. Here are the biggest takeaways from the game.
Joshua Jefferson’s Status
OK, so the Cyclones can reach a Regional semifinal without Jefferson, who went down with an ankle injury in the first half. But the odds of them making a deep run, like a Final 4, took a huge hit if Joshua Jefferson can’t get back on the court for the remainder of the tournament. The ankle injury resulted in him not returning to the game, and being seen on crutches in the tunnel during the second half.
Jefferson leads the Cyclones in rebounds per game and is second on the team in both points per game and assists per game. This would be a devastating blow for the Cyclones. But now, all of Cyclone Nation holds its collective breath as they hope the worst is not true for their star big man who is a catalyst for a deep run in March.
Killyan Toure’s Career Day
Killyan Toure more than tripled his season average with 25 points on 8-12 shooting, 2-3 from three-point range and 7-8 from the free throw line. Toure also had 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass, along with six assists. Killyan is a freshman who was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and had largely played a support role during the bulk of the season. Toure went 11-straight games without scoring in double figures, but then he dropped 12 vs. Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament loss, and now 25 on Friday. Let’s see if he can get the hot hand to help the Cyclones during the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
Next Steps for Iowa State
This game was never in doubt as Iowa State led by as many as 38 points and dominated Tennessee State in every facet of this game. But it gets much harder from here, as the Cyclones will take on No. 7 seed Kentucky after the Wildcats came back in overtime to beat Santa Clara 89-84. The Cyclones will be waiting to see what the status is for Jefferson moving forward, but if he’s done, it’s a huge blow to the Cyclones’ chances of a sleep run.
