Iowa State executed its defensive game plan to perfection against Kentucky

Iowa State has forced opponents into at least 10 turnovers in a game 30 times throughout the season. Kentucky was the latest victim of the Cyclones' high-pressure, heavy-trapping defensive scheme. Mark Pope's team turned the ball over 20 times in Sunday's NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State, the Wildcats' most of the 2025-26 season by five. It was Kentucky's most turnovers in an NCAA Tournament game since posting 20 all the way back in 1993. Every single UK player that saw the floor ended up with at least one turnover. Without a traditional point guard and a backcourt trio that dealt with foul trouble nearly all game long, Iowa State's defensive game plan ended up being a recipe for disaster that showed up in the final 30 minutes of game time. The Cyclones rank fourth nationally in turnover percentage for good reason. "They did what (Iowa State does). It's exactly what they do," Pope said after Kentucky's 82-63 Round of 32 defeat. "They exert pressure and get you sped up and force you to turn over the ball. We turn it over 12 times in the first half and eight times in the second half. It's hard to win a game when you give a team 20 extra chances. Transition came from that. Lots of opportunities to score came from that." The Cyclones logged 25 points off Kentucky's endless turnovers. It's just what that team does this season. They forced Mississippi State into 26 turnovers during the non-conference, then Arizona State into 22 miscues (twice!) during conference action. UK's highest opponent turnover total this season was only 17 against Indiana. Iowa State overplayed Kentucky on offense knowing ball handling wasn't a strong suit, sitting heavy in the gaps and trapping ball handlers off screens. "That roster is not made up of defensive specialists aside from maybe a couple guys," Pope said, adding that Tamin Lipsey (five steals) is elite on that end of the floor. "But their team concept is really good and they hide a lot of it by being overaggressive and putting you in compromising positions and getting you sped up, and it certainly showed that tonight." Not having someone like a Jaland Lowe, who is capable of handling intense pressure with the ball in his hands, hurts in this kind of matchup. Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen had four turnovers each. Collin Chandler and limited minutes from Jasper Johnson struggled in that regard, too. For as terrific as Aberdeen has been as the fill-in floor general this season, there was no true point guard out there to get around Iowa State's demoralizing pressure. "It was frustrating for Collin. It was frustrating for Jasper. It was frustrating for all the guys on our team," Pope said. "(Iowa State) kind of take away some of your star players by disrupting everything that you're trying to do." Kentucky actually handled Iowa State's defense quite well through 10 minutes, leading to the Wildcats' early double-digit lead, but the Cyclones eventually settled in and slowed ball movement to a screeching halt. Five of UK's 11 assists came within the first seven minutes of the game. Iowa State did all this without All-American Joshua Jefferson, who ranks second on the team with 1.6 steals per outing. "As soon as you turn into a stagnant offense," Pope said. "Iowa State is great at feasting on that."