Coming off a season that saw the Cyclones reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001, the ISU men’s basketball team released their schedule for the 2005-06 season.

Iowa State hosts non-conference games against Northern Iowa, Iowa and Ohio State. The game against the Buckeyes is scheduled for Dec. 17 at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines and is expected to be televised on ESPN2.

“This is a great schedule against seven teams that participated in the NCAA tournament last season, along with Ohio State and Fresno State,” ISU Athletic Director Bruce Van De Velde said in a press release.

The Cyclones will host Texas on Jan. 9, playing in ESPN’s Big Monday game. They also will travel to the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii, Dec. 21-23.

Iowa State posted a 19-12 record overall last season, and were 9-7 in the Big 12. They beat Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing to eventual national champion North Carolina.

Three starters return from last season’s team, led by junior guards Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson. Sophomore forward Rahshon Clark and sixth-man Tasheed Carr are also back for the Cyclones.

2005-06 ISU men’s basketball schedule

Nov. 5 Global Sports (exh.)

Nov. 11 Bemidji State (exh.)

Nov. 20 Mountain State

Nov. 23 Portland State

Nov. 25 Howard

Nov. 26 Iona

Nov. 29 Northern Iowa

Dec. 3 Fresno State

Dec. 6 at Drake

Dec. 9 Iowa

Dec. 17 Ohio State (Mediacom Cyclone Capital Classic, at Wells Fargo Arena) ESPN2

Dec. 21 South Florida (Rainbow Classic)

Dec. 22 Oregon State/Northwestern State (Rainbow Classic)

Dec. 23 Colorado State/Western Michigan/Loyola Marymount/Hawaii (Rainbow Classic)

Dec. 28 Tennessee State

Jan. 7 Kansas State

Jan. 9 Texas (ESPN)

Jan. 14 at Texas Tech (ESPN)

Jan. 17 at Nebraska

Jan. 21 Texas A&M

Jan. 25 at Missouri

Jan. 28 Kansas (ESPN)

Feb. 5 Colorado

Feb. 8 at Kansas State

Feb. 11 at Kansas

Feb. 15 Nebraska

Feb. 18 at Oklahoma (ABC)

Feb. 22 Oklahoma State

Feb. 25 at Baylor

Feb. 28 Missouri

March 4 at Colorado

March 9-12 at Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Tournament, Dallas, Texas