Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Utah on February 24, 2026 , Win , 75, to, 59
Final
Men's Basketball
75
Utah
59
Iowa State University Athletics
Jamaal Tinsley Earns MVP Honors at Yahoo! Sports Invitational
12.24.2000 | Men's Basketball
AMES, Iowa - Jamaal Tinsley earned MVP honors and Paul Shirley was named to the all-tournament team as the Iowa State Cyclones captured the team title at the competitive Yahoo! Sports Invitational with a 73-68 victory over No. 24 Mississippi Saturday night in Laie, Hawaii. The three wins in the tournament improves ISU to 10-1 on the season, equaling the school-record for best start in school history. The 1996-97 Cyclone squad, which advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, also achieved a 10-1 start.
Tinsley, who averaged 11.6 ppg in the tournament, was a key factor in ISU's three wins over Troy State (66-56), Brigham Young (77-71) and Mississippi (73-68). The senior All-America candidate scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half vs. Ole Miss to aid a Cyclone comeback. The Cyclones were down 48-35 with less than 15:00 minutes left to play in the game until ISU mounted a 23-5 run to take a 58-53 lead at the 6:00 minute mark in the game. Tinsley dished out four assists in the game and commanded complete control of the ISU offense, as the Cyclones committed just two turnovers in the second half.
"We sat Jamaal down for awhile to let him focus after he got his third foul," ISU head coach Larry Eustachy said. "When he went back into the game, he got with it and rallied the troops and played fantastic basketball. I thought it was the smartest and most controlled Jamaal has played all season."
The Brooklyn, N.Y., native also was instrumental in the Brigham Young win, leading the team with 17 points. The Cyclones were also down in the second half in that game, this time by a six-point deficit with 16 minutes left to play. However, another monstrous run (an 18-0 run)put the Cyclones back in the drivers seat. More importantly, Tinsley had the task of guarding BYU's top scorer Trent Whiting. Whiting was averaging 20.5 ppg coming into the contest, but Tinsley's pressure defense forced the BYU star to a 4-for-14 night from the field.
"I was trying to apply as much pressure on him (Whiting) as I could and make him work for his shots," Tinsley said. "My goal was to make him shoot off the dribble and never leave him for an open look."
Tinsley ended the brilliant tournament with seven steals and 12 assists.
Senior center Paul Shirley was also awarded for his efforts by earning all-tournament honors. Shirley led ISU in scoring with 15 points vs. Troy State and tallied 36 points for the tournament.
The win over Mississippi was ISU's first against a ranked opponent this season and its first since knocking off No. 24 Auburn, 79-60, in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament. ISU returns to action next Saturday with a 7 p.m. showdown vs. Western Carolina in Hilton Coliseum.
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