Record prediction
Christian Royston: 22-9
The Cyclones have a good chance to piece together another special season. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger has brought the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons.

Given Otzelberger’s track record and the young talent of the Cyclones, there is no reason to think that they cannot repeat similar success. Although Iowa State lost a lot of its veteran talent, the newcomers provide a lot of versatility and potential.

The Cyclones have probably their deepest roster in a while. Along with the newcomers, the returning Cyclones are geared up to give their all throughout the season. By the time Big 12 play comes around, there is a good chance the Cyclones are looking at just a few losses, if that, and should roll through most teams in the conference.

Logan Shanks: 24-7
Iowa State is equipped with the best offensive talent in the Otzelberger era, thanks to debatably one of the best recruiting classes in program history and another successful offseason in the transfer portal.

In many games last season, the Cyclones relied heavily on their defense to carry them to wins as their offense struggled to score more than 60 points a game at times. That should not be the problem this year, as Iowa State now seems to have efficient shooters at every level and veteran guards to set up their shots.

The Big 12 has undoubtedly gotten stronger by adding Houston and teams like Texas, Kansas State and, most notably, Kansas that will all challenge the Cyclones. I believe that Iowa State turns some of their close losses from last season around and finishes well over .500 in the Big 12 this year.

Potential upset
Royston: Houston, Jan. 9
This may be a super bold take, but the Cyclones will beat Houston at home on Jan. 9.

Houston is a great team, there is no getting around that. The Cougars have a solid defense, which helped them put together an impressive season a year ago.

There is a good chance that Houston comes to Ames as a top-10 team in the nation. However, Hilton Coliseum is a tough place to play, especially for top-ranked teams. The Cyclones led the nation in wins over top-10 teams last season with six, while three of those wins came at home against Big 12 opponents.

When Houston gets to Hilton, they better hope they are not ranked in the top 10 or else Iowa State could ruin their night.

Shanks: Baylor, Feb. 3

Now I know what you’re thinking, Iowa State won all three of its matchups against Baylor last season, including back-to-back wins in Waco, Texas and in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.

But any matchup on the road in the Big 12 can not be overlooked, especially against a program like Baylor. Although they’ve dealt with an immense amount of turnover, just like the Cyclones, they’ve proven throughout the last few seasons that losing top players is not a problem for them.

The matchup on the road against the Bears comes at the midway point of Iowa State’s conference schedule, which they have struggled with the last couple of seasons which makes this affair even more challenging. But like most games this season, I see the Cyclones talented new players being the difference makers on the road.

Bold prediction
Royston
My bold prediction is that the Cyclones will win the Big 12. This may be a little too bold of a prediction, but there is a chance it could happen.

Iowa State looked good at the end of last season if you take out the NCAA Tournament loss to Pittsburgh. The Cyclones fell to Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament, which was expected, as Kansas was the No. 1 team in the conference.

Now the Jayhawks find themselves ranked No. 1 in the nation to start the season. However, Big 12 basketball is unpredictable, and the Big 12 Tournament could go any way. If Iowa State can avoid tricky teams like Kansas and Texas, a Big 12 Championship win might be obtainable.

Shanks
My bold prediction is that the Cyclones will win the ESPN Events Invitational, which will set the tone for how far team this team can go when they win against challenging non-conference teams.

Iowa State will face off against VCU in the first round, who finished the season as an NCAA Tournament qualifier with 27 wins.

A win against the Rams in the first round should give the Cyclones some momentum in the next two rounds, which we saw last season in the Phil Knight Invitational when they made it all the way to the championship round against the eventual national champions, UConn.

Breakout player
Royston: Keshon Gilbert
Given the success of transfers last season, I’m expecting this year’s transfers to get off on the right foot immediately again. Gilbert showed a bit of what he can do in the opening win against Green Bay.

Gilbert is a physical guard who gets to the rim at all costs. His creativity and ability to score will treat him well throughout the season, especially when Big 12 play rolls around.

I think Gilbert will take a little bit to start popping off, but once he does, he should lead the team in most games. His relentlessness is something that Iowa State can base its offense around, so he will have plenty of chances to make a name for himself.

Shanks: Tre King
Heading into what is set to be his final collegiate season, King was challenged by Otzelberger to achieve a tall task: lead the Big 12 in rebounding. With his veteran experience, size and leadership, the Kentucky native has the ability to make one of the biggest jumps as a player in the conference and take the Cyclones to an even bigger stage.

From my time talking to King, he is determined to make the most of his opportunity to play a full season with Iowa State and accept Otzelbergers’ challenge.

Add in his hunger to make a play around the rim and King has the potential to be on the receiving ends of pick and rolls from Iowa States’ talented guards and put someone on SportsCenter on a nightly basis.

Under the radar player to watch
Royston: Curtis Jones
Jones did not have the best start to the season against Green Bay, but he is still a player to watch. He saw a good amount of minutes on the court and did a great job of moving the ball around.

If Jones can dial in his shooting and dust off the early-season jitters, he could be a strong scorer. Jones finds looks often and will be good in his role off the bench.

Jones can command the offense, he just needs time and confidence. Once he gets comfortable, Jones has the potential to be a star on the team.

Shanks: Jackson Paveletzke
I’m a big fan of looking out for the potential underdogs on a team, and after learning about Paveletzkes’ journey to Iowa State, I knew he was someone I wanted to keep an eye on this season.

The Wisconsin native ended his prep career as a zero-star prospect, according to 247Sports, and began his collegiate career at Wofford in 2022, where he averaged 15 points per game in 33 minutes per game. Along with 49% shooting from the field, Paveletzke entered the transfer portal as a four-star transfer prospect.

Outside of a great story, Paveletzke offers depth to the Iowa State guard room, which I think will come in handy down the stretch of Big 12 play. He was a commander of the offense for the Terriers, which I think will help him be a solid role-player for the Cyclones off of the bench.