NCAA Basketball: Ranking the final 8 unbeaten teams of 2021-22 season

Nov 21, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Dalen Terry (4) celebrates with his team mates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 80-62 to win the Roman Main Event Championship game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

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NCAA Basketball Iowa State Cyclones guard Caleb Grill Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Iowa State Cyclones (9-0)

Last season, the Cyclones was just 2-22 on the season and winless in Big 12 play. They have a new head coach in T.J. Otzelberger and a completely revamped roster, led by talented freshman point guard Tyrese Hunter and transfers from the portal. And they’ve been by far the biggest surprise of the NCAA Basketball season.

Somehow, someway, this roster has worked perfectly. Penn State transfer Izaiah Brockington leads the team at over 18 ppg and is coming off a career-high 29 points against rival Iowa in the “Cy-Hawk” series yesterday. He’s been the go-to scorer Iowa State has needed, joined by Minnesota transfer Gabe Kalscheur, another double-digit producer from the backcourt.

Hunter has been playing better than most of the five-star prospects this season, averaging double figures along with nearly six assists a game. And while the frontcourt collection of Aljaz Kunc, George Conditt IV, Robert Jones, and Tristan Enaruna don’t produce much offensively, they’ve been great on the defensive end.

Iowa State’s defeated opponents include Memphis, Oregon State, Xavier, Iowa, and at Creighton. No one expected this team to beat these teams, let alone the other mid-majors as well. The Cyclones were supposed to be the doormat of the Big 12 but instead, are competing for a top-half spot.

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