Ames, Iowa — Milan Momcilovic delivered a career night from beyond the arc, drilling seven 3-pointers on his way to 29 points as Iowa State cruised past Fairleigh Dickinson 88-50 on Monday at Hilton Coliseum.
The Cyclones dominated from start to finish, extending their home winning streak in nonconference play to 35 games. Iowa State jumped out to a 45-19 halftime lead and stretched the margin to as many as 44 points in the second half.
The victory marked the Cyclones’ eighth straight season-opening win and their fourth consecutive home opener decided by 35 points or more.
Sophomore point guard Tamin Lipsey, returning from a preseason knee injury that sidelined him for both exhibition games, was sharp in his first game back. He filled the stat sheet with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals in 25 minutes.
Joshua Jefferson added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman Killyan Toure chipped in nine points off the bench.
Iowa State’s offense clicked throughout the night, shooting 52% from the field and 44% (12 of 27) from 3-point range. The Cyclones’ defense was just as impressive, forcing 24 turnovers and converting them into 18 points, while outscoring the Knights 44-20 in the paint.
Freshman David Jevtic, a native of Serbia, led Fairleigh Dickinson with 14 points and six rebounds. Eric Parnell added 13 points and hit three of the team’s six 3-pointers, but the Knights managed to shoot just 32% overall.
Iowa State (1-0) now turns its attention to a busy week of home basketball, while FDU (0-1) looks to regroup after a rough opener.
Up Next:
Iowa State: Hosts Grambling on Thursday.
Fairleigh Dickinson: Travels to Saint Peter’s on Saturday.
