ATLANTA — Iowa State men’s basketball seniors Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey and head coach T.J. Otzelberger have been named semifinalists for three of the Naismith Awards.

Jefferson is a semifinalist for the Naismith National Player of the Year, while Lipsey is a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. Otzelberger is a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year award. All three are among the 10 semifinalists for each.

Jefferson, the fifth consensus All-American in program history, is the first player in Big 12 history to turn in multiple triple-doubles in league play. He’s averaging 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and is the only Power Conference player in the country to average those numbers.

Lipsey, a three-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection, is averaging 13.3 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He is the only Power Conference player in the country to average those numbers and the first Cyclone to do so since Tyrese Haliburton in 2019-20. His 3.47 assist-to-turnover ratio is the seventh-best in school history, while his 2.19 steals per game is ninth in school history.

The Cyclones return to action Friday with a 9:10 p.m. game against 10th-seeded Tennessee in the Sweet 16.