WEST LAFAYETTE — The Indiana Pacers fans among the Purdue basketball faithful inside Mackey Arena on Saturday gave Tyrese Haliburton a mixed response at best.
On one hand, they appreciate what the guard did for the Pacers during their run to the NBA Finals last season. On the other, the Iowa State alum was decked out in a red and gold jacket for the Cyclones’ big nonconference game against the No. 1 Buckeyes.
Iowa State made an emphatic statement with a 81-58 blowout. Having one of the program’s most famous former players in the building to watch it made an impact.
Point guard Tamin Lipsey, back from a three-game injury absence, mimicked Haliburton’s phone call celebration when making a second-half 3 — part of ISU’s 11 of 23 performance from behind the arc.
Lipsey also said Haliburton shared some words with the team in the locker room.
“Obviously, growing up a Cyclone fan, he means a lot to me and the program as a whole,” said Lipsey, who contributed nine points and eight assists without a turnover.
“The last time he came to one of our away games, we lost by like 20-some a couple of years ago. So to have him at this one and to win and have him enjoy that moment with us was awesome.”
Haliburton watched his former program turn a four-point halftime lead into a second-half romp. The Cyclones led by as much as 27 in the second half while becoming the first nonconference opponent to win in Mackey since Texas in 2019.