Do you remember how the Iowa State men’s basketball team was steadily climbing the Top 25 back in November and December?
Although the 2024-25 season didn’t culminate in a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as many had hoped, it was still filled with unforgettable moments and experiences.
Earlier this year, the Cyclones reached the No. 2 position in both the AP and Coaches Polls, but a mid-season slump followed an injury to Milan Momcilovic. Once he was back on the court, Iowa State began to regain their momentum, but another injury caused further challenges.
Keshon Gilbert faced setbacks at the end of the season and during the Big 12 Conference Tournament, ultimately concluding his year before appearing in the NCAA Tournament.
The loss of Gilbert, the conference tournament MVP from last year, proved to be too significant to overcome. Without his ability to penetrate defenses, the Iowa State offense struggled. Although Nate Heise and others did their best to fill the void, Ole Miss proved to be too strong in the second round.
Curtis Jones emerged as a standout, unexpectedly becoming the top sixth man in the nation. He led the Cyclones in scoring and provided instant offense off the bench.
Momcilovic had a career-best game upon his return to Wisconsin, Tamin Lipsey continued to demonstrate why he is one of the top talents to come from Ames High School and wear the Iowa State jersey, and Joshua Jefferson evolved into a versatile big man.
You can be sure that TJ Otzelberger will once again seek hidden gems in the transfer portal, just as he did last year, to complement the returning players for the 2025-26 season
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