Rob Gray

Iowa State’s potential roster for the 2024-25 season is filled with scorers and lockdown defenders, particularly at the guard position, where standouts Keshon Gilbert, Curtis Jones and Tamin Lipsey are expected to return after helping to guide the Cyclones to their second Sweet 16 appearance in the past three years.

Iowa State came up short against Illinois, 72-69, in the Sweet 16 Thursday night. Say what you want about this Cyclone team, but maximum “effort” and “fight” defined a season that included a second-place finish in the Big 12, a sixth conference tournament title.

Tre King and Robert Jones were on the Iowa State men’s basketball roster when the team reached the Sweet 16 two years ago before falling, 70-56, to Miami, but Jones is the only returner who actually played. Both will start Thursday night against Illinois.

T.J. Otzelberger constantly stresses the importance of strictly adhering to daily habits. That includes no yawning in the weight room

Iowa State eventually flipped the script against Washington State by ramping up its disruptive defense, which is ranked No. 1 nationally according to KenPom. Then Ward skied for one of his patented alley-pop dunks to help set up a high-level, late-night Sweet 16 confrontation with Illinois.

Ben Brahmer’s big numbers have helped define him early in his ISU career. The first-team Freshman All-American by The Athletic broke the program’s true freshman tight records for receptions (28) and receiving yards (352) last season and the best is likely yet to come.

A 9-0 run that helped propel Iowa State to a 67-56 second-round NCAA men’s basketball tournament victory over the Cougars at CHI Health Center Arena.

Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey — along with sixth man Curtis Jones — are adept at speeding opponents up and forcing live ball turnovers. Showcasing those qualities will be key for Iowa State in Saturday’s NCAA tournament second-round game against Washington State.

A 12-0 run essentially sealed second-seeded Iowa State’s 82-65 first-round NCAA tournament win Thursday over 15th-seeded South Dakota State. ISU shot a torrid 58 percent overall and 47.3 percent from 3-point range.

Audi Crooks stands front and center for No. 7-seed Iowa State and Wednesday was named an honorable mention All-American — the first freshman in program history to earn such accolades.

Hason Ward’s journey to Iowa State included a stop at Virginia Commonwealth as well as a visa-related ordeal. But now that he’s in his second and final season with the Cyclones, he’s become one of the team’s major X-factors off the bench.

Yonger Bastida scored bonus points in three of his four wins at the Big 12s, helping Iowa State win the team title for the first time since 2009. Now he sets his sights on the national tournament, where he’s ISU’s highest seed (No. 2) and poised to make a big run for the first time since attaining All-America honors at 197 in 2022.

Taylor Mouser started his coaching journey “from the ground up,” becoming an integral part of the Iowa State’s recruiting efforts early on. Now, as offensive coordinator, he’ll get to serve as a general manger of sorts himself, helping to shape and guide the Cyclones’ roster through spring ball (which begins Thursday), then fall camp, and finally, game days in 2024.

Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly chuckled slightly when he saw who his team would play to begin the NCAA tournament. That’s because the seventh-seeded Cyclones will face No. 10 seed Maryland, coached by one of his former assistants, Brenda Frese.

Iowa State will face the program that gave T.J. Otzelberger his first college head coaching job — South Dakota State — in Thursday’s first-round NCAA tournament game in Omaha. And suffice it to say, Otzelberger’s ties to the 15th-seeded Jackrabbits and head coach Eric Henderson still run deep.