Iowa State Basketball Trending in Right Direction in Bracketology

The final NCAA Men's Bracketology update before the regular season is a good one for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger speaks with the media during the university’s men’s basketball media day at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. (Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has turned into one of the most consistent programs in the country under T.J. Otzelberger.

He has done a wonderful job of bringing in players who fit the scheme and system that he plays on both ends of the court. Of course, there sometimes has to be some good luck involved as well to sustain success as the Cyclones have.

For Iowa State, that is potentially having point guard Tamin Lipsey for a fifth season. As part of a lawsuit in Indiana, Lipsey is one of several athletes who are currently eligible under the new 5-in-5 rules. As long as he remains eligible, this team’s ceiling is incredibly high, and that is reflected in the recent NCAA Men’s Bracketology done by Joe Lunardi of ESPN.

The Cyclones are one of the teams on the rise in the final update that Lunardi has put together before the regular season tips off. Iowa State is in the East Region as the No. 3 seed, which would mean getting to play Round of 64 and Round of 32 games in Omaha.

Iowa State can be one of the best teams in the nation

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure (27) and Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) help Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) off the floor during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That would create a nice home-court advantage for the Cyclones, not having to have their fan base travel too far. In the Round of 64, they are currently matched up with the Harvard Crimson, a new team predicted to be in the bracket as the automatic qualifier from the Ivy League.

Winning that game would set up a potential intriguing Round of 32 matchup with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are led by former Iowa State great Fred Hoiberg. The Big Ten squad is matched up with another incredible mid-major team, the Grand Canyon Lopes, who spend money on their roster like a Power Conference program.

Grand Canyon is projected to be the automatic qualifier from the new-look Mountain West Conference.

Until next time, KC.#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/xCg3tIoYL0

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) October 21, 2026

The teams seeded ahead of the Cyclones in the East Region are the Duke Blue Devils, the No. 1 seed, and the UConn Huskies, who are the No. 2 seed.

A No. 3 seed is certainly within reach for Iowa State, certainly if Lipsey remains in the lineup. His eligibility is key to the team’s upside, especially with rising star guard Killyan Toure, sidelined through mid-January as he recovers from surgery on his shoulder.

Even without Toure, the Cyclones have the pieces to overcome his absence for the first few months. They have incredible depth in the backcourt, where transfers Jaquan Johnson and Ryan Prather Jr. and freshman Yusef Gray Jr. can soak up minutes alongside Lipsey.