Lead
On Dec. 6, 2025, No. 10 Iowa State routed top-ranked Purdue 81-58 in West Lafayette, handing the Boilermakers their first home nonconference loss since 2019. The Cyclones (9-0) combined blistering outside shooting — 11 three-pointers and 47.8 percent from deep in the game — with stifling defense to hold Purdue to a season-low point total. Milan Momcilovic led Iowa State with 20 points, while Tamin Lipsey returned from a groin injury and posted nine points and eight assists with no turnovers. The margin and manner of victory sharpen the case that Iowa State is among the nation’s most dangerous teams early this season.
Key Takeaways
- Iowa State improved to 9-0 with an 81-58 win at No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 6, 2025, a 23-point road victory over a top-ranked opponent.
- The Cyclones made 11 three-pointers and shot 47.8 percent from beyond the arc in the game, finishing 54.1 percent overall as a team.
- Milan Momcilovic scored 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting (3-of-7 from three) and has been a sustained long-range threat this season.
- Guard Tamin Lipsey returned after missing three games, recording 9 points and 8 assists with zero turnovers in 32 minutes.
- Purdue (8-1) was held to 58 points — the first time this season the Boilermakers scored fewer than 80 — and Braden Smith had 11 points, 8 assists and 6 turnovers.
- Iowa State swept the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas earlier in the season and set a program record for made threes (22-of-30) in a recent game vs. Alcorn State.
- The Cyclones’ win marks the program’s second 20-plus-point victory over a No. 1 team within a 21-month span (after a 28-point win over No. 1 Houston in March 2024).
Background
Iowa State entered the 2025-26 season riding momentum from last spring and an early nonconference slate that has tested the team in multiple formats. The Cyclones went 3-0 at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving week — a unique showcase under the new Feast Week scheduling — and have translated that form into a 9-0 start. That perfect mark has pushed them into the AP top 10 and shifted national expectations about their ceiling.
Defensively, Iowa State has emerged as one of the more disciplined units in college basketball, mixing perimeter pressure with quick closeouts that have forced turnovers and disrupted opponents’ rhythm. Offensively, the team’s long-range accuracy has created separation; the Cyclones set a program record by going 22-of-30 from three against Alcorn State, and Saturday’s 11 three-pointers at Purdue continued that trend. Coaching continuity and roster balance — veteran shooters, playmaking guards and versatile wings — underpin their early surge.
Main Event
The game in Mackey Arena turned quickly in Iowa State’s favor after halftime. The Cyclones opened the second half by making 11 of their first 13 shots, including a 5-for-5 streak from three to blow the game open. That burst established a lead Purdue could not overcome; Iowa State’s blend of hot shooting and tight defense kept the margin comfortably in double digits for most of the second half.
Milan Momcilovic paced the Cyclones with 20 points, showing both catch-and-shoot accuracy and the ability to convert inside. Tamin Lipsey’s return added playmaking stability: he finished with nine points and eight assists and avoided turnovers, helping Iowa State control tempo and run efficient sets. On Purdue’s side, Braden Smith produced 11 points and eight assists but was hampered by six turnovers, and Trey Kaufman-Renn scored only four points on 1-of-8 shooting.
Statistically, the result stood out: Purdue had averaged 80-plus points in every previous game this season, but the Cyclones’ defense held them to 58. The loss also snapped Purdue’s long streak of avoiding home nonconference defeat, with the last such loss occurring in 2019. Iowa State’s ability to defend and to heat up from distance simultaneously made the difference in the final margin.
Analysis & Implications
Iowa State’s victory has immediate and longer-term implications for the national landscape. In the short term, a 9-0 record capped by a dominant win at a No. 1 program will move the Cyclones further up national ballots and increase their margin for error in future scheduling. Rankings aside, the quality of the win — road, against the top team in the country, by 23 points — is resume-building for NCAA tournament seeding hypotheses.
From a stylistic standpoint, the Cyclones combine elite three-point shooting with defensive discipline, a combination that creates matchup problems. Opponents must choose whether to guard the perimeter aggressively and concede driving lanes, or sag off for help defense and risk giving up open threes. Minnesota-style length or specialist defenders have struggled to contain the Cyclones so far, and scouting reports will be forced to react.
For Purdue, the loss exposes vulnerabilities not evident in box-score averages. Turnovers were unusually costly — six from a primary ball-handler — and key shooters went cold. Those factors, combined with Iowa State’s efficient offense, suggest Purdue’s margin for error is thinner than preseason projections suggested. Over the medium term, how Purdue adjusts its ball security and shot creation will determine whether this game becomes an outlier or an inflection point.
Comparison & Data
| Team | Score | 3s Made | 3P % (game) | Notable player lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State | 81 | 11 | 47.8% | Milan Momcilovic 20 (8-17), Tamin Lipsey 9 & 8 AST (0 TO) |
| Purdue | 58 | — | — | Braden Smith 11 & 8 AST, 6 TO; Trey Kaufman-Renn 4 (1-8) |
The table isolates key game metrics: Iowa State’s long-range efficiency and turnover-free distribution from Lipsey contrasted with Purdue’s uneven shooting nights and ball-security issues. Holding a top-ranked team to its season-low scoring output on their home floor is statistically rare and raises Iowa State’s predictive profile for the rest of the nonconference schedule.
Reactions & Quotes
“Milan Momcilovic making it look too easy.”
CBS Sports College Basketball (tweet)
CBS Sports’ social reaction captured the tenor of the postgame conversation: many national observers highlighted Momcilovic’s scoring ease and the Cyclones’ overall offensive fluency. That social-media buzz followed the game broadcasts and amplified attention on Iowa State’s sudden rise.
“Only 1 program in history has multiple wins over #1 teams by 20+ points. It’s Iowa State.”
Chris Hassel (tweet)
Sports reporters noted historical context: Iowa State beat No. 1 Houston by 28 in March 2024 and defeated No. 1 Purdue by 23 on Dec. 6, 2025, an uncommon pattern that frames the program as capable of delivering major upsets at scale. Such historical comparisons influence how future opponents prepare.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Iowa State can maintain its current long-range shooting rates over a full season — high percentages early can regress toward the mean.
- Whether Purdue’s turnover spike on Dec. 6 was an isolated breakdown or a developing trend needing structural changes.
- The exact mechanics and financial implications of the Players Era/Feast Week scheduling quirk referenced in early-season coverage require confirmation from tournament organizers.
Bottom Line
Iowa State’s 81-58 road win over No. 1 Purdue is more than an upset; it is a statement about style and substance. The Cyclones have demonstrated elite three-point shooting and disciplined defense simultaneously — a combination that can produce repeatable success against a wide range of opponents. The victory will raise expectations, alter scouting priorities and likely impact weekly rankings.
For Purdue, the loss is a prompt to reassess ball security and shot creation, especially in home-court settings where margin for error is typically lower. For neutral observers and bracket watchers, Iowa State has moved from surprise to contender status in early-season conversation; the next several weeks will determine whether this result was a singular peak or the start of a sustained national run.