One of the best turnarounds in college basketball, Iowa State basketball looks to compete for the national title with their loaded backcourt.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Iowa State basketball.
In 2019-2020, Iowa State basketball finished the season 2-22. They decided to go into a new direction, and made a surprising hire, going with T.J Otzelberger, who was coming off a 12-15 season with UNLV. The decision has proven to be everything they’ve wanted and more, with Otzelberger, immediately turning them around, taking them to two Sweet 16 appearances in three seasons and a top 10 team heading into this one.
The big reason why this team is regarded so highly is the returning backcourt of Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert. The two led the team in scoring last season and do so much on the court that doesn’t show up in the box score. Lipsey is one of the best point guards in the country and is a monster on the defensive end. They also bring back Curtis Jones and Milan Momcilovic, the third and fourth leading scorers. As a freshman, Momcilovic showed a lot of promise, and they’re excited to see him take a leap this season.
Iowa State basketball did a nice job of filling the holes they had this offseason. They bring in Joshua Jefferson from Saint Mary’s a great defender to help the frontcourt. They also bring in Dishon Jackson and Brandon Chatfield to hold down the center spot and try to replicate the production of Robert Jones.
What really makes this team dangerous is the homecourt advantage they have. Iowa State has won 18 straight games at home, and the fans will make sure that streak continues into this season. They’ll need it in this Big 12, with home games against probable top-10 teams in Kansas, Baylor, and Arizona.
This team has the talent and the coaching to make history. It’s up to them to seize this opportunity.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: TJ Otzelberger (4th season at Iowa State, 9th season overall)
2023-24 record: 29-8 (13-5)
2024 postseason finish: Lost to Illinois (72-69) in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament
Notable departures:
- Robert Jones (7.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.0 APG)
- Tre King (9.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.7 APG)
- Hason Ward (6.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.8 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Auburn (Nov. 25)
- vs. UNC or Dayton (Nov. 26)
- Maui Invitational (Nov. 27)
- vs. Marquette (Dec. 4)
- vs. Iowa (Dec. 12)
Projected Rotation
PG: Tamin Lipsey (6-1, 200, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.4 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 42.8 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 70.5 FT%
SG: Keshon Gilbert (6-4, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.8 FG%, 34.6 3P%, 72.8 FT%
SF: Milan Momcilovic (6-8, 225, So.)
2023-24 stats: 10.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 42.4 FG%, 35.9 3P%
PF: Joshua Jefferson (6-9, 240, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 10.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 46.9 FG%, 73.1 FT% (Saint Mary’s)
C: Dishon Jackson (6-11, 274, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 11.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 54.4 FG% (Charlotte)
6: Curtis Jones (6-4, 195, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 11.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 35.1 3P%, 80.9 FT%
7: Brandon Chatfield (6-10, 260, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 9.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.5 APG, 60.1 FG%, 67.8 FT% (Seattle)
8: Nate Heise (6-5, 212, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 35.6 3P% (Northern Iowa)
9: Demarion Watson (6-7, 225, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 1.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.2 APG, 69.2 FG%
10: Nojus Indrusaitis (6-5, 200, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #95 ranked recruit
Iowa State Basketball Team MVP: Tamin Lipsey
Lipsey doesn’t get a lot of media hype because his playstyle doesn’t draw eyeballs, but you can argue he’s as important to his team as anyone in the country. Offensively, he’s the leader on the floor, averaging 5 assists per game while still putting up over 12 points a game. Defensively, you don’t get better than him. EvanMiya ranks Lipsey as the best player in the country next season, and the stats back it up, with 2.7 steals per game.
The Big 12 has a ton of great guards, and with Lipsey on the court, he cancels that player out, which is a game-changer. He’s an extremely high IQ player, and always seems to be under control on the court. As long as Lipsey is on the floor, Iowa State has the chance to win the Big 12, and even more.
Iowa State Basketball make-or-break player: Milan Momcilovic
Iowa State was expecting Momcilovic to be a key piece in Iowa State’s success when he committed, but they weren’t expecting the level of production he had his freshman year. He averaged 11 a game, and while he had his freshman moments, he came up big in big moments, including 18 points in the Big 12 championship game and 19 in the first-round matchup against South Dakota State.
Now, in Year 2, they’re expecting him to be even better. He’s already got 37 games started in his career, and with Lipsey and Gilbert back, they should make his life much easier. Iowa State already has one of the best floors in the country, but depending on how he is this season determines this team’s ceiling.
Key analytic: Steals per game
Iowa State’s defense is nightmare material, and a big reason why is steals per game. They averaged 10.3 last year, 2nd most in the country and most of any Power 5 team. As mentioned earlier, Lipsey is a big reason for that, averaging 2.7, and Gilbert averaged 2 a game. How fortunate is Iowa State for having a backcourt that averages nearly 5 steals a game? Curtis Jones averaged 1.4, and Joshua Jefferson also averaged over one a game.
Limiting shot attempts and putting pressure on the opponent makes all the difference in college basketball, and there are few teams as good at it as Iowa State. Expect them to finish at the top once again.
Iowa State Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 4th in the Big 12
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Final 4 Exit