The Iowa State Cyclones are set to begin the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season with a trip to the Sanford Pentagon to take on the Memphis Tigers.

That is a venue where Iowa State has found plenty of success, never losing in Sioux Falls. The Cyclones are back for a second straight year after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs there last year, and are being led once again by Tamin Lipsey.

For now, the talented point guard is eligible to take the court for a fifth season thanks to a lawsuit in Indiana that he was a part of. The situation remains fluid, as he hasn’t been granted eligibility for the entire season yet, but as long as he is able to play, the Cyclones’ ceiling remains incredibly high.

That much is true based solely on the fact that Lipsey is viewed as one of the 50 best players in men’s college basketball entering the season. He has been selected to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.

Tamin Lipsey selected to Naismith Award Preseason Watch List

This is quite an impressive honor for the veteran point guard to receive. This award is given annually to the best player in men’s college basketball, and entering the campaign, Lipsey is viewed as being on that tier, and it is easy to see why.

He brings a wealth of experience and production to the court for the Cyclones. A starter in every game he has played in his collegiate career, having Lipsey in the lineup for one more season changes the outlook of the program for the 2026-27 campaign.

Voted the best point-of-attack defender in the nation last season, nothing has changed in that regard. He remains an elite defender and will be joined in the backcourt this season by another bulldog in Jaquan Johnson, a transfer from the Bradley Braves who is the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

When Killyan Toure returns from his shoulder injury, he will assume a starting role alongside Lipsey, terrorizing opposing backcourts just as they did in the 2025-26 season.

Lipsey is certainly one of the best players in men’s college basketball, but he will be going up against some incredible competition for this award. His impact isn’t always measured in the box score, which is where so many voters base their ballots on.

The Iowa State star may not win the award, but being recognized is a major achievement in itself. This is the first watch list that Lipsey was selected for, as he surprisingly didn’t get selected for the Bob Cousy Award Preseason Watch List, given to the best point guard in the country.

He was, however, selected to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team as one of the best players in the conference entering the year.