March 19, 2026, 4:32 p.m. CT
ST. LOUIS — Starting backcourt mates Tamin Lipsey and Killyan Toure are simply greater than teammates; it is a brotherly bond between the 2.
The Iowa State basketball guard tandem has one another’s again, play properly collectively — particularly on protection — however additionally they push one another to get higher.
Like any tight brotherhood, there’s additionally a wholesome dose of trash discuss. While the extra stoic senior Lipsey prefers to let his play do the speaking, the freshman Frenchman is not afraid to combine in some phrases.
They shortly turned well-acquainted throughout intense summer season classes, as Toure made an impression together with his fiery protection and finally labored his approach into the beginning 5.
“A lot of it’s in French, actually, so I don’t know what he’s saying, but I can tell when he’s being competitive, trash-talking a little bit, so you’d have to ask him what he’s saying,” Lipsey mentioned. “Obviously, we’ve had a lot of back-and-forth just from the summer and fall, just competing with each other, but you’d have to ask him what he says.”
Toure will flip between French and English, even to at the present time, however what he’s saying stays a thriller.
“They got some basic words (in French) that I say during practice, but it’s not good words, so I won’t say it in front of the cameras,” Toure mentioned sheepishly.
At the top of the day, it is all love and a approach for Toure to faucet into his extra aggressive aspect every time he units foot onto the court docket.
It additionally helps Toure and Lipsey elevate one another after they face off in apply or construct off of one another’s power throughout a recreation.
In December, Lipsey referred to him because the “best defender” he had ever seen. As March Madness will get underway, the veteran Lipsey stands by his assertion months later.
“He’s got length, he’s quick, he’s physical, he’s got all the right pieces and he knows how to poke the ball out,” Lipsey mentioned. “Obviously, you see it, he does it against other teams. He did that against me in the summer, so it made me a better player competing against him.”
Lipsey is averaging 13.3 factors, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a couple of.2 steals per recreation. The program’s all-time steals chief earned Big 12 All-Defensive group honors for the third 12 months in a row. He was additionally named Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the 12 months and received All-Big 12 second-team recognition, his third season in a row with all-conference honors.
Toure began in each recreation as a freshman alongside Lipsey. He is averaging 8.1 factors, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per recreation. With his penchant for protection, he’s typically tasked with matching up towards an opponent’s top-scoring guard.
He hit a tough patch offensively in latest months, however his persistence and endurance helped him seemingly flip a nook with a 12-point outing on 5-of-9 taking pictures towards Arizona within the Big 12 Tournament semifinals.
“Tamin is a legend for Iowa State, a big brother for me,” Toure mentioned. “I just try to watch him and these are the last games we have together. I just try to enjoy the last moments. He gives me good advice during the games and even off the court. He’s a really great example for me. I just try to follow his steps and maybe do better, that’s a goal. Really great example for me.”
The bond was first fashioned by scraping towards each other over the summer season, but it surely additional deepened on the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas in November.
Lipsey suffered a groin harm that induced him to overlook three video games, and Toure was tasked with operating the purpose in his absence.
“(Lipsey) kind of just took Killyan on the side a lot and told him some tips and tricks as a point guard, so I think their bond evolved,” teammate Milan Momcilovic mentioned, recalling Lipsey’s three-game absence. “I think they’re one of the best one-two defensive backcourts in the country.”
When Lipsey first arrived at Iowa State, he additionally labored his approach into the beginning 5.
There was a emptiness left behind by then-Big 12 Freshman of the Year Tyrese Hunter, who transferred to Texas after his first 12 months in Ames.
Lipsey earned the beginning job from Day 1. Before blossoming into this system legend he’s right this moment, he appeared as much as senior teammates Gabe Kalscheur and Jaren Holmes. They took him below their wings and offered steering and a serving to hand to select him up after tough performances.
Now, as a senior, Lipsey is paying it ahead and hoping to be the identical kind of mentor for Toure.
It’s an analogous, however barely totally different dynamic. Lipsey ran the purpose as a freshman, whereas Toure primarily performs off-ball.
“Because of his work ethic and how he attacks every day, his mindset, he’s always wanting to learn, asking me questions, and he just makes it super easy to be that sort of mentor for him,” Lipsey mentioned of Toure. “…Obviously, being a senior, a point guard, you have to be a leader, you have to command your team. You have to know the ins and outs, and I just want to see what’s best for this program. I want to see him develop.”
Perhaps subsequent 12 months, Toure can be ready to run the ground and take the torch from Lipsey.
For now, although, the duo is seeking to benefit from the journey collectively for so long as doable. Including the first-round recreation towards Tennessee State on Friday, March 20, there’s a most of six video games remaining within the school basketball season for Iowa State.
There are hardly any ensures, although, so just a few miscues may end in an earlier-than-desired exit.
“It’s his last year and you just try to enjoy and take pleasure, because he won’t play college anymore in his life,” Toure mentioned. “Just to be around him, seeing how he enjoys what he does, it’s beautiful. It’s good for me too, just really happy to be around him.”
While Lipsey has left an enduring impression on Toure, he is additionally left an indelible mark on this system as an entire.
He got here in because the hometown child from Ames, fulfilling a dream. Regardless of how far the Cyclones go this 12 months, there is no doubt that he can be leaving Iowa State in a greater place than when he first arrived.
“There’s no question about it — Tamin has not only elevated our program wherever this journey takes us, but the amount of gratitude and thankfulness we have to him for what he has done, he wears that pride on his sleeve every single day,” mentioned Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger. “There couldn’t be a player out there that cares more about his team winning, about his community, about his campus, his university and about this basketball program. We are just so fortunate to have him as our leader.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5
