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Bold Prediction Shared on Iowa State Cyclones Men's Basketball Projected Starting-5

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones are less than a month away from beginning the 2025-26 men’s basketball season. They will be starting things off against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 3 at Hilton Coliseum.

Despite being less than four weeks away, it is still anyone’s guess who will be in the starting lineup on opening night. Right now, there looks to be only two surefire starts: Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson.

They will be occupying the starting forward spots. Tamin Lipsey is also locked in as a starter, but his availability is up in the air. He is dealing with a knee sprain that he suffered a few weeks ago in practice.

The timetable for his return was right around the first game of the season. If he is healthy, he will assuredly be in the starting five. He has started all 103 collegiate games he has played in entering the campaign.

Who will round out Iowa State's starting lineup?

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Alas, there are still some questions about who will occupy the last two spots. Blake Buchanon, a transfer from the Virginia Cavaliers, very well could hold down the starting center spot. With plans of deploying Jefferson exclusively at the four-spot this year, T.J. Otzelberger will turn to one of his big men to replace Dishon Jackson.

If it isn’t Buchanon, another transfer could be in the mix for that spot. Eric Mulder, who comes to Iowa State from Purdue Fort Wayne, was the most efficient scorer in college basketball last year. His offensive rebounding prowess is something the Cyclones will benefit greatly from.

Ultimately, it is the former Virginia product whom Jeff Borzello of ESPN has predicted will be in the starting five. His selection for the starting backcourt spot alongside Lipsey is what may surprise some people.

Jamarion Batemon predicted to start next to Tamin Lipsey

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He has gone with incoming freshman Jamarion Batemon . A dynamic scorer, his shotmaking ability is something Iowa State will be counting on this season. He is one of the players who will be tasked with helping replace the production of Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert.

The No. 77-ranked player in the ESPN 100, Batemon has some sizable expectations upon him entering his first campaign in Ames. There are some huge shoes to fill in that lineup, but he looks more than capable of being an immediate contributor.

If it isn’t Batemon who gets that spot on opening night, another player to keep an eye on is Nate Heise. A 3-and-D wing, he is someone Otzelberger can turn to if he wants more experience and continuity in the starting five.

A sixth-year senior, he has 126 games of collegiate experience under his belt. His skill set is one that would play well alongside Lipsey, Momcilovic and Jefferson as a spot-up shooter and slasher offensively, while providing tenacious defense on the other side of the court.