Flashback to March 2015: a magical Cyclone moment is about to take place in front of a sold-out Hilton Coliseum crowd, with one 11-year-old fan, Tamin Lipsey, watching on.
Georges Niang (’16) steps up to the free throw line with Iowa State trailing 48-28 to Oklahoma and calmly makes both shots, cutting the deficit to 18. The Cyclones storm back with an uninterrupted 22-point run, reclaiming the lead in front of a now-deafening, excited crowd.
“Those are the moments you dream of being a part of,” Lipsey says. “The ones you picture yourself in.”
Lipsey, a senior for the Iowa State men’s basketball team, doesn’t have to dream anymore — he’s been the catalyst for many iconic Cyclone basketball moments and has created new memories for the next generation.
Before Iowa State, the Ames native led the Ames Little Cyclones to a state championship in 2022 while being named Iowa’s Mr. Basketball and winning the Gatorade Player of the Year. Although Lipsey’s high school successes and strong Iowa State ties seemed like a perfect fit for the Cyclones, there were other offers. His future with the Cyclones wasn’t a sealed deal — yet.
“Just a few days after T. J. (Otzelberger) got the job, he called and let me know that he wanted me in the program and that I was a priority,” Lipsey says. “That’s what I was looking for most, someone who wanted to build a relationship and wanted me to be there as much as I did.”
Lipsey has shared the court with over 25 teammates, but two of his closest can be found elsewhere on campus. His parents, Robert and Holly Lipsey, are Iowa State employees, with Holly serving as a professor of kinesiology and Robert as the director of TRIO Student Support Services.
“I think the coolest thing is just walking on campus and knowing where my parents are and being able to stop by and say, ‘What’s up?’” Lipsey says. “It’s something that’s unique to me — having them close by if I ever need support, love, anything.”
As Lipsey navigates his senior year and reflects on his journey, his advice for the next homegrown cyclone star is simple: “If it’s your goal, work for it,” he says. “It’s as awesome as you think it would be.”