MILWAUKEE — Iowa State won’t have second-leading scorer Keshon Gilbert for the NCAA tournament, but the Cyclones might be getting another guard back.
Tamin Lipsey expressed cautious optimism that he would be available Friday when Iowa State, the No. 3 seed in the South Region, faces Lipscomb (25-9) in the first round. Lipsey missed Iowa State’s Big 12 tournament quarterfinal loss to BYU with a groin issue.
“It’s felt a lot better every day,” Lipsey said Thursday. “So I’m expecting to go out there and play, and I hope I can go out and feel the best I can. … I feel like I’m trending in a positive direction and feel good about it.”
Lipsey’s return would be a major boost to the Iowa State defense. The 6-foot-1 guard has a school-record 235 career steals and is averaging 10.8 points and 3.2 assists this season.
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said Lipsey is playing as well as he has in his three seasons with the Cyclones. Lipsey played through a fractured thumb earlier this season, and teammates have praised his toughness.
“Tough as nails, as they would say,” guard Curtis Jones said. “He’ll play through a lot, especially now that it’s March. It’s win or go home. I feel like he would play through a broken bone. As long as he can get out there and run and pass, I think that’s all he needs to do to make an impact on a team.”
Iowa State (24-9) is adapting to the absence of Gilbert, who had a team-high 4.1 assists per game. His 13.4 points per game ranks behind only Jones’ 17.1.
Gilbert already had missed four of Iowa State’s past seven games. After missing the regular-season finale against Kansas State, Gilbert returned to play 10½ minutes in a Big 12 tournament victory over Cincinnati, but he was held out for the BYU game and won’t play again this season.
The injuries have tested Iowa State’s depth, one of its hallmarks. The Cyclones are one of only 31 Division I teams — and 11 in the tournament — to have four players scoring at least 10 points per game.
“On any good team, when you have adversity and challenges, it’s important, the next-man-up mentality,” Otzelberger said. “And you gain strength collectively from the group and pouring into the group. Our team has done a fantastic job of that, and that’s allowed them to continue to elevate.”
Gilbert’s injury has resulted in an expanded role for Nate Heise, a Northern Iowa transfer getting his first taste of March Madness as a fifth-year senior. The 6-4 guard has played at least 30 minutes five times this season, four of them in Iowa State’s past seven games.
“Obviously you want everyone to be at full strength, but that’s just not the case right now,” Heise said. “It’s been a little different role for everybody. It’s been a little different compared to the beginning of the year, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I look forward to it.”
Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff didn’t expect Iowa State’s injuries to play a major role in Friday’s game. Acuff recalled how his own team responded when forward Dylan Faulkner, who averaged 10.5 points, broke his foot in January, ending his season.
“We just had other guys step up,” Acuff said. “A lot of times when you have a proud program that’s built on winning and culture, that’s what happens. We don’t expect anything less than their best tomorrow.”
