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MILWAUKEE — At this point, it seems like the only way Iowa State basketball guard Tamin Lipsey is coming off the court is if someone drags him off of it.
Head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who said on Selection Sunday that "we fully anticipate he'll be ready to go for our game on Friday," gave an update on the standout guard upon the team's arrival in Milwaukee on Wednesday afternoon.
"Each day there's been improvement," Otzelberger said of Lipsey. "Today, he was engaged with practice, not as much in the live (section of practice) and that sort of thing. He'll take a more active role in practice tomorrow, but he's done a great job each day.
"He and (Cyclones trainer) Vic (Miller) in the training room and the work they've done, he's really in a great rhythm shooting the basketball. I would say each day, he's progressed noticeably well and I'm excited for that continued progression these next few days going into the game."
Lipsey sustained a groin injury in the closing minutes of last week's Big 12 Tournament second-round win over Cincinnati, which required him to miss the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals loss to BYU. But with the Cyclones ready to tip-off on Friday afternoon against 14th-seeded Lipscomb, Lipsey is working hard to return to action for the NCAA Tournament.
Lipsey has battled through various injuries throughout the last couple of seasons. There was a shoulder injury last year that required surgery and impacted his summer preparation, plus the rehabilitation it required afterward.
More: Iowa State basketball: How will the Cyclones move forward without Keshon Gilbert?
This year, aside from his recent groin injury, he played through a fractured thumb midway through the season.
The 6-foot-1 junior guard was a third-team All-Big 12 and All-Defensive Team selection this season. He is averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 48.2% overall.
Keshon Gilbert, another All-Big 12 third-team selection, did not travel with the Cyclones − as expected − to Milwaukee for this weekend's NCAA Tournament first and second-round action.
Gilbert was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Sunday in order to "focus on rehab and get his body back right," due a groin injury that caused him to miss four of the last seven games.
"We've had some good games down the stretch when he wasn't fortunate to be out there," Otzelberger said. "The Kansas State game, we thought, we really did a great job as a team kind of embracing who we could be in his absence.
"What you've seen is Joshua (Jefferson) stepped up. Milan (Momcilovic) has taken a more active role in terms of attacking and getting to spots offensively. Nate Heise is playing with confidence, Dishon (Jackson) has had some really big moments scoring the ball, and I think Tamin down the stretch of the season, is playing his best basketball.
More: Hines: After traveling to several Iowa State games, Momcilovic family can watch close to home
"As much as we certainly miss Keshon and the presence that he brings, we also feel like we're fortunate that we've got a lot of guys playing their best basketball right now, at the time you need to be playing your best basketball."
No. 3 seed Iowa State is scheduled to take on 14th-seeded Lipscomb on Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Lipscomb, the Atlantic Sun champion, is making its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
"They play with a lot of purpose," Otzelberger said of the Bisons. "They've won their league outright, or they won their league tied for first and then won the tournament, so it just speaks to that consistency they've had over the season."
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball's Tamin Lipsey closer to NCAA Tournament return
Continue reading...
Head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who said on Selection Sunday that "we fully anticipate he'll be ready to go for our game on Friday," gave an update on the standout guard upon the team's arrival in Milwaukee on Wednesday afternoon.
"Each day there's been improvement," Otzelberger said of Lipsey. "Today, he was engaged with practice, not as much in the live (section of practice) and that sort of thing. He'll take a more active role in practice tomorrow, but he's done a great job each day.
"He and (Cyclones trainer) Vic (Miller) in the training room and the work they've done, he's really in a great rhythm shooting the basketball. I would say each day, he's progressed noticeably well and I'm excited for that continued progression these next few days going into the game."
Lipsey sustained a groin injury in the closing minutes of last week's Big 12 Tournament second-round win over Cincinnati, which required him to miss the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals loss to BYU. But with the Cyclones ready to tip-off on Friday afternoon against 14th-seeded Lipscomb, Lipsey is working hard to return to action for the NCAA Tournament.
Lipsey has battled through various injuries throughout the last couple of seasons. There was a shoulder injury last year that required surgery and impacted his summer preparation, plus the rehabilitation it required afterward.
More: Iowa State basketball: How will the Cyclones move forward without Keshon Gilbert?
This year, aside from his recent groin injury, he played through a fractured thumb midway through the season.
The 6-foot-1 junior guard was a third-team All-Big 12 and All-Defensive Team selection this season. He is averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 48.2% overall.
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Keshon Gilbert, another All-Big 12 third-team selection, did not travel with the Cyclones − as expected − to Milwaukee for this weekend's NCAA Tournament first and second-round action.
Gilbert was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Sunday in order to "focus on rehab and get his body back right," due a groin injury that caused him to miss four of the last seven games.
"We've had some good games down the stretch when he wasn't fortunate to be out there," Otzelberger said. "The Kansas State game, we thought, we really did a great job as a team kind of embracing who we could be in his absence.
"What you've seen is Joshua (Jefferson) stepped up. Milan (Momcilovic) has taken a more active role in terms of attacking and getting to spots offensively. Nate Heise is playing with confidence, Dishon (Jackson) has had some really big moments scoring the ball, and I think Tamin down the stretch of the season, is playing his best basketball.
More: Hines: After traveling to several Iowa State games, Momcilovic family can watch close to home
"As much as we certainly miss Keshon and the presence that he brings, we also feel like we're fortunate that we've got a lot of guys playing their best basketball right now, at the time you need to be playing your best basketball."
No. 3 seed Iowa State is scheduled to take on 14th-seeded Lipscomb on Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Lipscomb, the Atlantic Sun champion, is making its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
"They play with a lot of purpose," Otzelberger said of the Bisons. "They've won their league outright, or they won their league tied for first and then won the tournament, so it just speaks to that consistency they've had over the season."
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball's Tamin Lipsey closer to NCAA Tournament return
Continue reading...
