NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 power rankings for 2024-25 season

4. Iowa State Cyclones

One consistent theme in both the top-25 list and throughout NCAA Basketball is how much scoring production each team has to replace at the top via graduation, the NBA Draft, or now the transfer portal. However, Iowa State is the exception, as the top four scorers have returned for another year.

They’re led by Tamon Lipsey, who averaged 12.4 ppg and 4.9 apg. He’s a quality perimeter defender and can score, paired with returning leading scorer Keshon Gilbert (13.7 ppg and 4.2 apg) and senior Curtis Jones (11.0 ppg). To add a shooting boost to the backcourt is Nate Heise, who averaged 13.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg at Northern Iowa, shooting 36% from deep.

The area where there were departures was in the frontcourt, with Tre King, Robert Jones, and Hason Ward gone. Milan Momcilovic (10.9 ppg) is a breakout candidate to watch after a strong freshman campaign and is one of the better floor spacers. Transfers Dishon Jackson, Brandton Chatfield, and Joshua Jefferson join the fold, boosting the Cyclones on the offensive end.

Iowa State was one of the best defensive units in the country last season, and the key pieces are back. If the offense takes any kind of step forward, they could be the team to beat in the Big 12.