Iowa

Iowa State basketball, 5 standout stats from win over Houston

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2026

Iowa State basketball, 5 standout stats from win over Houston

AMES — A sea of gold erupted in celebration as Iowa State basketball senior Tamin Lipsey secured the game-sealing rebound, a fitting crescendo for a game that featured plenty of grit and grind between both the Cyclones and visiting Houston Cougars.

Every made shot was hard-earned and well-celebrated, and the same went for every effort play that helped piece together a massive win over the No. 2 Cougars on Feb. 16.

Iowa State overcame a 10-point deficit late and in an exchange of baskets, Nate Heise had the decisive 3-pointer to put the Cyclones in front. Joshua Jefferson added the final touch with a free throw to seal it.

Houston’s last-second heave was well short and the postgame celebrations and chorus of Mr. Brightside lyrics commenced. Iowa State won, 70-67.

Jefferson had 12 points, Heise added 11 points off the bench, while Blake Buchanan had 10 points.

For Houston, Kingston Flemings had a game-high 22 points.

Here are five standout stats from the win:

4 — Lead changes in the final 3:45

Houston’s Kingston Flemings had a 3-pointer to give the Cougars a 10-point lead, their largest of the game with 7:09 left.

Iowa State rumbled back with a 10-0 run, a stretch capped by Tamin Lipsey going 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. The game was knotted up at 63-63 each with 3:45 left, and the back-and-forth battle kept going through the final whistle.

Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. was left by himself and got an easy basket to regain the lead.

Jamarion Batemon broke a 3-point shooting drought for Iowa State, after the Cyclones missed nine straight 3-pointers in the second half. Flemings knocked down a jumper that put Houston up, 67-66, with 1:49 to go.

Iowa State’s Nate Heise answered back with the go-ahead basket, a corner 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down to put Iowa State up, 69-67.

After a defensive stop, a missed front end of a one-and-one for added suspense — which was recovered by Tamin Lipsey — Joshua Jefferson added an insurance point for the Cyclones.

10 — Combined turnovers between Iowa State, Houston

Both teams are two of the top turnover-generating units in the entire country. The Cougars have also been one of the best teams at taking care of the ball offensively, boasting the second-lowest turnover rate in the country.

Despite immense pressure, bodies hitting the floor for loose balls, and a series of double teams and traps, the Cougars and Cyclones were able to minimize turnovers in this high-level contest.

Iowa State won the turnover battle, 7-3, and the few turnovers ISU was able to create helped fuel a 10-0 run that helped the Cyclones tie the game with 3:45 remaining. Iowa State was able to get two baskets off turnovers to keep the run going.

There were no easy baskets in transition or turnover opportunities. Everything came hard-earned.

Impressively, Iowa State only had three turnovers for the game, but the Cyclones didn’t log a single turnover in the final 18 minutes of action.

8 — Tamin Lipsey rebounds for Iowa State

Lipsey finished with a team-high eight rebounds, which is a tribute to his hustle and persistence.

The Cyclones lost the rebounding battle despite leading on the boards going into halftime. Houston came out of the break with a renewed effort and outrebounded the Cyclones 23-15 and finished with a 35-31 edge for the game.

Despite that, Lipsey had the boards that mattered. He had three offensive rebounds, including the key one at the end where he tracked the missed free throw and skied high.

34.4% — Houston second-half shooting percentage

After both teams shot more than 50% overall in the first half, both the Cyclones and Cougars cooled down after the halftime break.

Iowa State was able to slow down Houston and held the Cougars to shooting 11-of-32 (34.4%) overall in the second half, including a 5-of-18 showing from deep.

Emanuel Sharp dealt with foul trouble, but the Cyclones also defended well against Milos Uzan and Chris Cenac Jr.

22 — Points by Houston guard Kingston Flemings

The four-star recruit who became an immediate impact player and rapid stock-riser certainly lived up to the billing on Monday night.

Flemings, a 6-foot-4 guard who is mentioned in the top 10 of 2026 NBA mock drafts, was every bit impressive for the Cougars. His speed and swiftness applied a lot of pressure on the Cyclones’ defense, but he was also knocking down pull-up jumpers off the dribble and hitting 3-pointers at a high rate.

Flemings finished with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. He dealt most of his damage in the second half, when he went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

50% — Iowa State free-throw percentage

Had the Cyclones lost, it would have been the first area to make Iowa State fans think what-could-have-been.

Iowa State shot just 11-of-22 (50%) from the line, including a 2-of-7 mark in the second half.

You may also choose to look at this margin with a half-glass-full approach. Despite the Cyclones’ struggles at the free-throw line, they continued to be resilient and found another way to win and put away the game.

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Iowa

Iowa Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday results for May 8, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.

Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing

37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-5-8

Evening: 9-9-2

Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-2-7-3

Evening: 0-7-0-6

Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing

14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid

Published

17 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid

IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.

The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.

“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.

Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.

At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.

That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.

“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.

The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.

“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.

Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.

For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.

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Iowa

Harkin backs Turek for Iowa Senate

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

Scoop: Iowa Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek snagged a major endorsement for his Senate bid from former Sen. Tom Harkin.

Harkin, who retired in 2015, was the last Democrat to represent Iowa in the Senate. Turek is locked in a competitive primary with state Sen. Zach Wahls in a race that has divided major factions of the Democratic Party.

“I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you,” Harkin said in his endorsement. “That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek.”

Harkin served in the Senate for 30 years and is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was 11 when the ADA was enacted.

Harkin is a widely sought after endorsement in the Hawkeye State. His decision to wade into the race is notable because Harkin also has a relationship with Wahls.

Wahls called Harkin “one of my closest political mentors,” and said the former senator officiated his wedding in 2021.

Iowa’s Senate primaries are June 2.

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