Iowa State Basketball Has Ground To Make up in Big 12 Predictions

The Iowa State Cyclones have turned into one of the most consistently productive programs in men’s college basketball under head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

He inherited a team that went 2-22, but immediately turned things around. In his first season, the Cyclones qualified for the NCAA tournament, a streak that has reached five consecutive years.

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There is a strong chance Iowa State will make it six straight, especially with star point guard Tamin Lipsey being back in the mix. He was part of an Indiana lawsuit to gain a fifth year of eligibility based on the 5-in-5 rules being put into place and will return to Ames for one more season.

It was a fortunate turn of events because his replacement, Killyan Toure, suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him sidelined into mid-January at the very least. When he is healthy enough to return, he will step right back into the starting backcourt role, just like last season.

Where did Iowa State land in Big 12 preseason standing prediction?

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, there isn’t as much star power around that backcourt duo. Milan Momcilovic transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats after withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft, and Joshua Jefferson was selected in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves and subsequently traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

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That lack of star power is one of the reasons why Gary Parrish of CBS Sports has predicted the Cyclones will finish in fifth place in the Big 12 this season. That is essentially the same spot as last season when Iowa State finished in a tie for third place but ended up as the No. 5 seed because of tiebreakers.

That meant missing out on the double bye in the Big 12 tournament, which should be the goal…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/iowa-state-basketball-ground-big-010001701.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-14 01:00:00

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