Backcourt Duo Will Be Key for Iowa State Basketball Next Season

Will the backcourt duo be key for the Iowa State Cyclones next season?

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger reacts in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

While the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season still might be a few months away, the roster has taken shape for the Iowa State Cyclones, and the team is once again poised for a good season. 

Following an injury to star forward Joshua Jefferson in the opening moments of the NCAA tournament this past year, the Cyclones knew that it was going to be an uphill battle without their star. 

The nasty ankle injury ended the season for Jefferson, and without their star, the Cyclones were outmatched against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16. While a lot of the key members of the team, like Jefferson, have moved on, Iowa State has a strong core of talent entering this coming year. 

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger wasted no time getting into the transfer portal once it opened, and the Cyclones went a perfect five-for-five on their targets. While bringing in new talent to replace some of the key players lost is important, Iowa State will also be expecting some of their young players who were contributors last year to get even better. 

Returning Guards Will Be Key

Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure . | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

When looking at some of the key players that will be back for the Cyclones three of them stand out Jamarion Batemon, Killyan Toure, and Blake Buchanan. Both Toure and Buchanan were starters for most of the year, and Batemon was one of the first players off the bench and a significant contributor for the unit. 

While Buchanan will be important in the front court, the duo of Toure and Batemon will be key for the team going forward. The Cyclones were spoiled for the last four years, having a player of the caliber of Tamin Lipsey as the starting point guard, and this duo will have big shoes to fill. 

Fortunately, both are heading into next season with a plethora of experience, and they are both primed to take significant steps forward. For Toure, he was a key starter for the team and a pest on the defensive end of the court. It became apparent early that, despite being a first-year player, he was one of the best defenders at the guard position in the country. While Toure is polished defensively, he will need to find more consistency and confidence in his offensive game. 

For Batemon, he will be coming into the year with a little less experience than Toure in terms of role and playing time, but a really high upside as a scorer. Between the two, who will be the primary ball-handler and facilitator on the court will be something to work on in practice before the start of the year, but both are capable. Overall, with these two returning and likely improving, the Cyclones could have one of the best backcourts in the conference.