Iowa State basketball has been one of the most dominant teams in the sport. Can the Cyclones continue this with their talented guard play?
The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Iowa State basketball.
TJ Otzelberger took over in 2021-2022, and got to work immediately, turning a 2-22 team into a 22-13 team that made the Sweet 16. He hasn’t skipped a beat since, most recently winning 29 games and making the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years. They had the talent to go even further, but star Joshua Jefferson got hurt in the Round of 64, and they didn’t have the star power to go deep.
They won’t have him this year, as he looks to make an impact in the NBA, as well as Milan Momcilovic, who surprisingly transferred to Kentucky after many thought he’d enter the draft. Momcilovic is the best shooter in college basketball, so losing him obviously hurts.
They do bring back their leader, though, in Tamin Lipsey, who is taking advantage of the lawsuits for eligibility against the NCAA. At the moment, he’s eligible, but anything can change. If he is, he’s a four year starter under coach Otz who will drive this team on both ends of the floor. They return two other starters from last year in Killyan Toure and Blake Buchanan.
Toure suffered a shoulder injury in September, and will most likely be out until conference play, which is a huge loss for the program. The team is full of talented guards who will step up in his place, and it will be interesting who can breakout between Jaquan Johnson, Jamarion Bateman, and Ryan Prather Jr.
Two players joining the team who will most likely start are Leon Bond from Northern Iowa and Tre Singleton from Northwestern. Neither will have the impact of the players they replace, but Otz always seems to maximize his transfers’ ability, as we saw with Curtis Jones, Jefferson, and several others.
The battle for the Big 12 crown will be tough as always, but Iowa State basketball will definetely be in the conversation. With the combination of their elite defense, great guard play, and Otzelberger’s coaching ability, expect Iowa State to be a high seed in the tournament and fighting for a national championship.
Head coach: TJ Otzelberger (11th season overall, 6th at Iowa State)
2025-26 record: 29-8 (12-6)
2026 postseason finish: Lost in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament
Notable departures:
- Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.0 APG)
- Joshua Jefferson (16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.8 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Memphis (Nov 2)
- vs. SDSU (Nov 24 – Players Era)
- vs. Tennessee OR Maryland (Nov 26 – Players Era)
- vs. Louisville, Texas Tech, St. John’s or Oregon (Nov 27 – Players Era)
- vs. Purdue (Dec 5)
- vs. Iowa (Dec 10)
Projected Rotation
PG: Tamin Lipsey (6-1, 200, Sr.)
2025-2026 stats: 13.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 45.9 FG%, 65.6 FT%
*Pending Eligibility
SG: Killyan Toure (6-3, 205, So.)
2025-2026 stats: 8.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 46.0 FG%, 72.2 FT%
*Out until January (Injured)
SF: Leon Bond (6-5, 196, Sr.)
2025-2026 stats: 11.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 47.3 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 75.0 FT% (Northern Iowa)
PF: Tre Singleton (6-8, 220, So.)
2025-2026 stats: 7.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 47.7 FG%, 73.8 FT% (Northwestern)
C: Blake Buchanan (6-10, 230, Sr.)
2025-2026 stats: 8.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 63.6 FG%
6: Jaquan Johnson (5-11, 216, Jr.)
2025-2026 stats: 16.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.5 SPG, 42.3 FG%, 38.3 3P%, 78.4 FT% (Bradley)
*Starting until Toure returns
7: Jamarion Batemon (6-3, 190, So.)
2025-2026 stats: 6.6 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 38.8 FG%, 37.0 3P%, 78.8 FT%
8: Ryan Prather Jr. (6-4, 221, Sr.)
2025-2026 stats: 15.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 44.0 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 84.7 FT% (Robert Morris)
9: Dominykas Pleta (6-11, 240, So.)
2025-2026 stats: 4.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.5 APG, 70.6 FG%
10: Taj Manning (6-7, 225, Sr.)
2025-2026 stats: 4.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 48.5 FG%, 69.7 FT% (Kansas State)
Iowa State basketball team MVP: Tamin Lipsey
Again, it’s honestly a shock that we get to see Lipsey in an Iowa State jersey for another season, just because he did his four years and really didn’t get involved in the lawsuits until late in the process. The only people who are upset not to see him are the teams who have to play him this season. Lipsey has started all 137 college basketball games he has played in, and while he’s a solid scorer, he’s an even better playmaker. He averaged 5.1 assists last year, one of the best marks in the Big 12.
While he’s great offensively, he’s elite defensively. He’s the all-time leader in steals for Iowa State, with 314, and if he can reach 77 this year as he did last year, he would finish 3rd all time in college basketball history. He’s just such a pest and does an incredible job of getting in the passing lanes and turning defense into offense. Expect the ball to be in his hands whenever he’s on the court, and to be the defensive leader of a team that’s going to be top five in the country.
Iowa State basketball make-or-break player: Jaquan Johnson
With Toure being out for a few months, they’ll need someone to step in and succeed. Johnson can absolutely be that guy, as we saw at Bradley last year. At 5’11, he’s definetely one of the shorter players in the country, but that doesn’t stop him from scoring by any means necessary. He shot 38% from three and 78% from the line, and increased his productivity significantly from his freshman year. He scored 35 points in a game last year, and 31 in conference play.
Like Lipsey, while he’s great offensively, he’s even better defensively. His 2.5 steals a game were 10th most in college basketball, and earned him defensive player of the year honors in the Missouri Valley. Between him, Lipsey, and Toure, Big 12 guards are going to be incredibly frustrated all season long.
Johnson has never played a game against a power conference opponent, so there’s a little uncertainty on if it’ll translate, especially at his size. All signs point to yes, and he seems like the obvious answer to the transfer portal breakout star that Iowa State basketball seems to hit every year.
Key statistic: Defensive Efficiency
Since TJ Otzelberger was hired, Iowa State has finished 5th, 8th, 1st, 13th, and 5th in Kenpom’s defensive efficinecy statistic. Moral of the story, is no matter who is on the roster, the defense will be one of the best in the country. In this year’s Kenpom, they come in at #2 preseason, and for good reason with the trio of Lipsey, Johnson, and Toure. Don’t forget Buchanan as well, who was the anchor to that top 5 defense last year.
The offense can look sloppy at times, but the defensive consistency is why they are a top 25 team each season and one of the best teams in the Big 12. Bringing in Bond and Singleton will only help with that, and combine the elite defense with the elite home court advantage that Hilton Collesium is, you’re going to get a lot of wins.
Iowa State basketball 2026-27 projections
Projected conference finish: 4th in the Big 12 Conference
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Elite 8