'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Iowa State ventures into the new season with a ton of promise after making the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones will compete in the tough Big 12, which has expanded to 16 teams with the addition of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.
The T.J. Otzelberger-coached squad parades an almost intact core for its 2024-25 college basketball season. The Cyclones will be led by their top four scorers from last season, along with a bunch of quality transferees and a freshman.
Iowa State men's basketball 2024-25 season preview: Biggest games, key players to watch and more
Iowa State's biggest games in the 2024-25 season
Trending
Iowa State will have a loaded non-conference schedule in the 2024-25 season, featuring matchups against Marquette and rival Iowa.
The Cyclones-Golden Eagles tussle on Dec. 4 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames is part of the Big East vs. Big 12 battle. This will be the ninth time Iowa State and Marquette are meeting in a regular season game since the 1949-50 season, with the Big East team leading the series 5-3.
On the other hand, the 78th installment of the Iowa vs. Iowa State rivalry is scheduled for Dec. 12 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It is also part of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, which awards points for athletic victories over the other university. Iowa leads the series 48-29.
As for the regular season, the Cyclones will play home-and-away games against Arizona, UCF, Colorado, Kansas and Kansas State this season. They will meet Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, TCU and Utah at home and visit Arizona State, Houston, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Key Iowa State players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger was blessed to have the Cyclones' four leading scorers returning for another year. Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsky, Curtis Jones and Milan Momcilovic are back in the fold for the cardinal and gold after a memorable 2023-24 season where they captured the Big 12 Tournament title and a Sweet 16 appearance.
The four players combined for 48.0 points last season and were a major part of the team's surge in the latter part of the season. Also returning for Iowa State are Demarion Watson, Kayden Fish, Cade Kelderman, Conrad Hawley and 7-1 redshirt freshman J.T. Rock.
The Cyclones were also busy recruiting players from the transfer portal and high school, picking up Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, Dishon Jackson, Brandton Chatfield and four-star freshman Nojus Indrusaitis.
Iowa State's predictions for the 2024-25 season
Iowa State is expected to rule the Big 12 by going 26-5 in the regular season. The Cyclones will contend for the Big 12 Tournament and wind up securing an NCAA Tournament berth.
Iowa State will figure prominently in the knockout phase of the tournament, winning the first three rounds to make the Elite Eight, and if lady luck smiles on their side, the Final Four.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here
