Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: Way-too-early preseason power rankings for 2019-20

By Jason Kinander

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after his teams 85-77 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after his teams 85-77 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Cameron Lard #2 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Cameron Lard #2 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

2. Iowa State Cyclones

The Iowa State Cyclones had a great season despite losing to Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, bouncing back from a last-place finish the previous season.

The Cyclones will lose their star forward Mariol Shayok, but there is a great chance that they will return everything else.

Lindell Wigginton and Talen Horton-Tucker will test the NBA Draft waters, but only Horton-Tucker is a real threat to leave Ames. Tyrese Haliburton will return after a productive freshman season, and Solomon Young will be back for his senior year.

If all four players return, then Iowa State will easily have the best returning group of four players in the Big 12.

The Cyclones aren’t looking amazing in the recruiting department, as they’ll bring in a trio of three-stars in Luke Anderson, Tre Jackson, and Marcedus Leech.

However, that group has the potential to skyrocket, as the Cyclones will host five-star recruit Xavier Foster, who is in the Class of 2020 but could decide to reclassify.

If Iowa State can land Foster, they might have the best team in the Big 12. Couple that with netting a grad transfer to add experience and Iowa State easily has the most complete team in the Big 12, no questions asked.

A lot went right last season for Iowa State, and that must carry over into the summer, but if it does, the Cyclones will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 next season.

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