Iowa State Basketball Given Updated Ranking that Fans Will Love

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to have an experienced and talented men's basketball roster next season, and the expectations are going to continue to grow for the program.

47-year-old T.J. Otzelberger joined the program for the 2021-22 season and took the 2-22 team that was 0-18 in Big 12 play to a 22-13 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance in his first season there. He has the Cyclones rolling as they were 25-10 last season and 29-8 the year prior.

He has completely turned the program around, and with several contributing players coming back to Ames for another season, this upcoming year could be his best yet. CBS Sports agrees with that assessment and has them ranked 13th in updated rankings that include the Duke Blue Devils recent additions.

Here's what Gary Parrish had to say about Iowa State.

"This ranking is based on the Cyclones returning three of the top five scorers -- specifically Joshua Jefferson, Milan Momcilovic and Tamin Lipsey -- from a team that finished 25-10 and advanced to the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Virginia transfer Blake Buchanan, Purdue Fort Wayne transfer Eric Mulder, Eastern Washington transfer Mason Williams, Utah Valley transfer Dominick Nelson and four-star freshman Jamarion Batemon," Parrish wrote on the Cyclones.

Houston comes in at No. 1 and BYU is No. 3, so those are a few names to keep an eye on, especially with five-star freshman AJ Dybantsa playing for the latter of the two programs. As for Iowa State, it is just above the Louisville Cardinals and just below the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Cyclones will have a few transfer players that should help elevate their level of play, including Virginia's Blake Buchanan. The 6-foot-11 forward will bring some size to the Iowa State frontcourt yet will need to polish his offensive game, averaging just 5.4 points per game with the Cavaliers last season.

The size of this team is going to be a problem for the Big 12, and hopefully, it keeps them as a top-15 side well into the future.