Momcilovic and the ‘jellybean’ trigger: 49.3% from three raises the stakes for Iowa State’s Sweet 16

In March, the most consequential adjustment can be the smallest—and Iowa State forward momcilovic has built a season-defining edge around a single word. After wrestling with doubt about his mechanics, he began using a one-word mental cue—“jellybean”—to shut out intrusive thoughts before shooting. The result is not just a quirky routine but a statistical outlier: he is converting 49. 3% of his 3-pointers this season while carrying a major scoring load for a No. 2 seed preparing for Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup against No. 6 Tennessee (ET).

Why a one-word routine matters right now

Iowa State enters the Sweet 16 with a clear identity: a high-seed chasing a deeper run, anchored by elite shot-making and the composure to survive the NCAA Tournament’s volatility. The context around momcilovic is unusually concrete: his 49. 3% 3-point mark leads Division I men’s basketball, he is taking 7. 6 attempts per game, and he has made 134 3-pointers—more than anyone else in the sport—despite his 272 attempts not ranking in the top 20. Those numbers matter because they signal both efficiency and selectivity: a volume shooter who is not simply firing at will, but converting at a rate that can swing a single-elimination game.

The timing is also sharp. Iowa State is 29-7 and trying to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2000, with Tennessee standing in the way Friday (ET). In that environment, the difference between “I’ll take the next one” and “I’m hesitating” is often the difference between a possession that creates points and one that burns clock.

Deep analysis: separating mechanics from noise in high-pressure shooting

The core of the story is not a candy word; it is an attempt to separate process from results. momcilovic described a familiar loop for shooters: missing prompts technical self-diagnosis—follow-through, arc, feel—whether or not a real mechanical problem exists. The one-word cue functions as a deliberate interruption. He does not say it out loud; he keeps it in his head, and he will go full games without using it at all. He framed it primarily as a practice tool, designed for the moment when thoughts “creep in” and start rewriting what should be automatic.

What makes the shift analytically interesting is that it aligns with a measurable performance arc. As a freshman, he shot 36% from beyond the arc—strong in general terms, but beneath his own standard. As a sophomore, he rose to 39. 6%. This season, his production looks like a system operating without friction: 51. 2% from the field overall, an effective field goal percentage of 67. 9%, and 87. 8% at the free-throw line. The cumulative picture suggests that the mental layer is no longer competing with the physical one.

This is also where Iowa State’s broader tournament calculus takes shape. A No. 2 seed does not need novelty; it needs reliability. When a shooter reaches a point where the coaching staff can emphasize “attempts” rather than “makes, ” it changes late-game decision-making. It can keep an offense from shrinking after a miss—one of the most common failure points in elimination basketball.

Expert perspectives: psychology, confidence, and a coach’s bet on volume

momcilovic’s routine is rooted in professional guidance, not superstition. He began working with sports psychologist Dr. Matthew Myrvik, whom he met during high school in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The sessions intensified after his father pushed for Zoom meetings as his confidence dipped early in college. Dr. Myrvik’s instruction was direct: choose one word to think about before shooting—an intentional cognitive reset that redirects attention away from mechanical checking.

The coaching lens reinforces the same principle. Iowa State head coach T. J. Otzelberger emphasized a results-resistant mindset earlier this season, describing a shift from hesitation after misses to a player “imposing his will, ” and stressing that the program is hunting “attempts” rather than only “makes. ” In tournament terms, that philosophy is a pressure release valve: it turns the next shot into a continuation of plan, not a referendum on the previous one.

Notably, the “jellybean” cue is not portrayed as magic. momcilovic himself framed it modestly—“it probably worked a little bit”—and acknowledged he does not always need it. That restraint is part of its credibility: a tool used strategically, not a ritual that must be performed to function.

Ripple effects: roster balance, opponent planning, and the Milwaukee pull

In the immediate bracket, Iowa State’s path demands perimeter stability. The team has already advanced while navigating uncertainty around star forward Joshua Jefferson, who left the first-round game against Tennessee State with an ankle injury and remained questionable entering Friday’s Sweet 16 (ET). That reality increases the value of dependable spacing and shot creation from other pillars, including Tamin Lipsey and momcilovic. The Cyclones have also leaned on freshman guard Toure for defense, a role that does not always show up in scoring but shapes how opponents initiate offense.

From an opponent’s perspective, a shooter leading Division I at 49. 3% forces hard choices: tighten closeouts and risk other openings, or stay home and live with a profile that has already produced 134 made 3-pointers. Even without detailing Tennessee’s scheme, the strategic tension is clear—elite accuracy turns ordinary possessions into leverage.

Beyond the tournament, momcilovic’s profile is being framed in pro-fit terms tied to geography and role specificity. He is from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee, and his shooting has been described as a skill that could translate quickly in a defined role. The connection to Dr. Myrvik’s work with NBA players for the Milwaukee Bucks adds another layer of continuity: the same mental-performance ecosystem that supports professional athletes is already part of his development story.

What comes next for Momcilovic—and what it signals about modern March

The most revealing aspect of this run is that a measurable edge can come from something fans cannot see. The one-word cue is private, intermittent, and mostly practice-oriented, yet the outcomes are public: a Division I-leading 49. 3% from three, high-volume efficiency, and a No. 2 seed leaning into his shot profile at the sport’s most unforgiving time.

If Iowa State’s season turns on a handful of possessions Friday (ET), the question is not whether momcilovic thinks “jellybean” on a given attempt. It is whether the underlying discipline—separating noise from process—holds when Tennessee forces every look to feel contested. In a tournament that punishes doubt instantly, how many teams are truly training the mind with the same intent as the jumper?