Iowa State basketball transfers help take offensive pressure off Tamin Lipsey’s shoulders

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There were times throughout the 2022-23 Iowa State men’s basketball season when it seemed like Tamin Lipsey had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The super-hyped freshman was playing at his hometown college as a starter in the Big 12, the best basketball conference in the nation. Still, for the most part, he rose above that pressure, leading the team in assists and steals while earning a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. He’s the team’s top returning scorer heading into the 2023-24 campaign, with 241 points a season ago.

Still, despite all the accolades and a bright future, there was one area where Lipsey just couldn’t get right during his first season at the college level: long-range shooting. He posted a rough 5-for-25 from beyond the arc for the season, just 20%. The team as a whole shot just 33% from downtown.

More: Milan Momcilovic hoping to give Iowa State basketball a 6-foot-8 long-range shooting threat

Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger knew that was an area he’d need to address when rebuilding his roster this offseason. To do that, he took to the transfer portal and nabbed three dynamic shooters: Curtis Jones from Buffalo, Jackson Paveletzke from Wofford and Keshon Gilbert from UNLV. All of those players have shot 35% or better from long-range in their careers.

Former Buffalo guard Curtis Jones (3) has transferred to Iowa State and brings a lethal 3-point shot with him.

“For Tamin, having more guys out there that can put it on the floor and create an advantage puts him in more of a spot where he can hunt a catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunity,” Otzelberger said Wednesday at his team’s final media availability before heading to their foreign trip in the Bahamas.

Paveletzke is probably the most natural shooter of the three newcomers. He hit 39.3% of his deep shots during his freshman season with the Terriers. Gilbert shot 38.4% from beyond the arc a season ago, and Jones led the Bulls with better than 35% shooting from downtown as a sophomore last season.

When…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-state-basketball-transfers-help-233041932.html?src=rss

Author : The Des Moines Register

Publish date : 2023-08-02 23:30:41

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