4 Biggest Iowa State Men’s Basketball Surprises This Season

What were the biggest surprises for the Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team this season?

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; From left to right, Iowa State Cyclones guard Dominick Nelson (11) and forward Eric Mulder (4) and guard Nate Heise (0) and head coach T.J. Otzelberger and forward Joshua Jefferson (5) and guard Tamin Lipsey (3) are recognized during senior day before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team wrapped up its 2025-26 season with a decisive victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils during Senior Day at Hilton Coliseum.

The Cyclones' 86-65 win over Arizona State was their 25th victory, ending the year on a high note after two straight losses.

This season ranks among the most productive in program history. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger deserves credit for a swift turnaround after inheriting a 2-22 team following the 2020-21 season.

Alas, the job is not yet done, with the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA tournament coming up in the next few weeks. Before taking a look at the postseason outlook, a review of the regular season is in order, highlighting four of the biggest surprises of the campaign.

Killyan Toure Starts Every Game

Mar 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure (27) goes to the basket against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Coming into the 2025-26 season, most of the focus in the Class of 2025 was on guard Jamarion Batemon. He was predicted to have a starting spot right out of the gate as the highest-ranked player in the class.

While his role grew as the season moved along, it was his backcourt mate, Killyan Toure, who earned the starting spot. An unheralded guard from Brewster Academy, his defensive ability is what separated him from Batemon early on, leading to his place in the lineup alongside Tamin Lipsey.

While Toure’s production slowed down the stretch, with his shooting woes becoming a real sore spot, it was impressive to see him start all 31 games. He quickly earned the trust of Otzelberger and looks ready to take the torch from Lipsey as the defensive tone setter at the point of attack.

There are a lot of similarities in their games, with their ability to make an impact on the defensive end being No. 1.

Joshua Jefferson Leads Team in Assists

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) passes the ball around Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Christian Anderson (4) and forward Josiah Moseley (5)during the second half in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball showdown on Feb. 28, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coming into the season, it was clear that Joshua Jefferson was going to have a larger role offensively. It was one of the selling points made to him by Otzelberger and the staff not to depart via the transfer portal; he would be the guy on offense.

Hearing that, many assumed it meant an increased role with his scoring opportunities, which did occur. What no one saw coming was that it would also mean that he was the lead ball handler and playmaker.

Jefferson ended up leading the team in assists, averaging 5.1 per game. That just beat out Lipsey, who averaged 5.0 per game. It is a very impressive feat, considering that Toure also ran the offense at times, averaging 2.3 assists per game.

Nate Heise and Blake Buchanan also had multiple assists per game, both averaging 1.5.

Lack of Transfer Impact

Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) dunks the ball around Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Luke Bamgboye (9) during the second half in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball showdown on Feb. 28, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Blake Buchanan made his impact felt for the Cyclones after coming to the program from the Virginia Cavaliers. He was a starter in all but one game that he played in, and that appearance off the bench was a precaution as he dealt with an illness.

Unfortunately, he was the only transfer to make a consistent impact this season. Mason Williams sat out the entire campaign recovering from surgery after transferring from the Eastern Washington Eagles.

Eric Mulder, from the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons and Dominick Nelson, from Utah Valley Wolverines, were both given opportunities to earn roles during the non-conference schedule, but were glued to the bench for most of the Big 12 schedule; they played 46 combined minutes during conference play.

Milan Momcilovic 3-Point Shooting

Feb 28, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) watches the time tick down in their loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Whenever history is made, it deserves a spot on the biggest surprise list. Coming into the season, Otzelberger made a challenge to Milan Momcilovic, wanting to see him be more aggressive offensively, especially with his 3-point shooting.

He certainly answered the call, turning in a historic season. Momcilovic broke the program’s single-season record for 3-pointers made with 110 and counting. He led the nation, connecting on 50.2% of his attempts.

Given his sheer volume and efficiency, the sharpshooting junior is in the discussion as having the best 3-point shooting campaign in men’s college basketball history.

Should he return for his senior year and get anywhere close to shooting at this rate, he is going to rewrite the Iowa State record books.