The Iowa State Cyclones are somehow flying under the radar this college basketball season. Despite currently being 12-1, with their only defeat being a brutal loss on a buzzer-beater in Maui against #2 Auburn, Iowa State is not getting the respect they deserve from the national media.
Iowa State Has One of the Most Efficient Offenses in College Basketball
Led by head coach T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State has one of the nation’s most devastating offenses, built on both excellent fundamentals and unique talent. For starters, the Cyclones average under 10 turnovers a game, putting them among the best at taking care of the ball. Furthermore, Iowa State is 8th in the country in team shooting percentage at an amazing 50.4%. This is a result of both their ability to get easy shots and the fact that they have multiple players able to make tough shots in isolation.
This backdoor cut was a beauty for @CycloneMBB 😮💨
Iowa State is rolling early. pic.twitter.com/5LT3ke6YOY
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 4, 2025
State’s defense is also elite, and they have stifled many different teams this year. Iowa State averages almost 10 steals per game, and their defensive rating of 93.1 lands them solidly in the top 10 defensive teams in the country. The roster includes several good on-ball defenders, great help defenders, and rim protection.
As previously mentioned, Iowa State has just one loss on the season, a heartbreaker to a stellar Auburn Tigers team that was ranked #4 in the nation at the time and currently resides at #2. Otzelberger’s team have relished their opportunities against top teams since, cruising against then-#5 Marquette 81-70 and more recently, annihilating #25 Baylor on Saturday, crushing the Bears in a 74-55 win at the Hilton Coliseum.
The Cyclones Are Veteran-Led Powerhouse Absolutely Loaded With Talent
As the landscape of college basketball has been completely distorted by the transfer portal in the last several years, it has become clear that veteran teams are the ones built to last in March. Recent Final Fours have been filled with teams stocked with upperclassmen. All these reasons showcase why Iowa State should be favored to make it to San Antonio in April.
The Cyclones’ starting lineup includes two juniors, two seniors, and one sophomore. Their starting backcourt of Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey have played in a combined 195 games of college basketball, 7 of which were NCAA Tournament games. Few teams can field this much experience, let alone talent. Gilbert has been averaging 16.3 points per game on a stunning 58.3% effective field goal percentage, while Lipsey is adding 9.8 points and 3.5 assists, running the show for the team.
Dudes who don’t watch the games and only check the box score have no idea how valuable Tamin Lipsey is pic.twitter.com/HiOV7KOIAW
— OutCYde the Lines (@OutCYdetheLines) January 4, 2025
Even the Cyclones’ bench is filled with senior talent. Guard Curtis Jones is barely trailing Gilbert as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 16.2 per contest. Forward Brandton Chatfield and guard Nate Heise are also key bench pieces. This is not to say Iowa State is lacking on young talent. 6′ 8″ Forward Milan Momcilovic is shooting 45.5% from three this season. Momcilovic is fully aware how talented the entire squad is from top to bottom.
We’ve got really everything you need. We’re a really dangerous team.
It is rare that a team has a plethora of weapons to get easy baskets on the interior and hit the tough shots from the outside when necessary, but Iowa State is simply doing it like nobody else is entering 2025.
College Basketball is Learning to Fear the Cyclones of Iowa State
Bears head coach Scott Drew was not reluctant to praise the Iowa State team that tore apart his talented Baylor squad. The Cyclones neutralized Baylor’s top scorer, Norchad Omeir, and held their perimeter duo of veteran guard Jeremy Roach and NBA-bound super frosh VJ Edgecome to a combined 6-23.
T.J. has got not only a really good team, but an experienced team, and they’ve done a great job growing together. And I’ve said it all year, I think them and Auburn have been the two best teams in the country.
Iowa State makes a habit of getting out ahead of teams and breaking their will in the second half. In early December, Marquette coach Shaka Smart felt that his team failed to meet Iowa State’s level, falling behind early and never being able to truly recover. They have “embarrassed” plenty of good teams this year and are able to win games in a variety of ways, which is the sign of a truly dominant team.
Iowa State has several challenging games ahead, including a Texas Tech team that also sports a top offense and a Kansas team currently ranked #7 in the country. Yet according to Drew, the Cyclones have earned the right to fear no one: “them and Auburn have been the two best teams in the country.”
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