Iowa State Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Cyclones
By Joey Loose
A program in utter ruin just three seasons ago, Iowa State is now proving to be one of the main cogs in the machine that is the Big 12. TJ Otzelberger was hired in 2021, taking over a Cyclones program that had won just two games the season prior, and has been masterful in the early years of his tenure, with last season another step in that impressive direction.
Iowa State had their finest season under his leadership, winning 29 games with a 2nd place finish in the Big 12 standings. More impressively, the Cyclones won the Big 12 Tournament and advanced to their second trip to the Sweet Sixteen in Otzelberger’s three years. It was a year in which the Cyclones realized and exceeded their potential and continued to play elite ball defensively.
Moving forward, the Cyclones help welcome four new members into the Big 12, but there’s no reason to think Iowa State is getting buried by these new faces. After that amazing defensive play and impressive roster balance, this team will return many of its top options from last season. Not only wasn’t last season a fluke, this team could be significantly better with the experience and talent assembled in Ames.
Before we make any other overarching statements, we’ll take some time to examine the state of the Cyclones’ roster, diving deep into faces both old and new. After a quick look at Iowa State’s upcoming schedule, we’ll make some more of those types of statements and try to figure out what to expect in Otzelberger’s fourth year in charge. Can this be a truly special season for the Cyclones?