Grading Iowa State Cyclones' Regular Season Performance

What grade did the Iowa State Cyclones deserve for their regular season performance?

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger watches the game from the bench during the second half in the Big-12 conference men’s basketball against Texas Tech on Feb. 28, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the regular season coming to a close for the Iowa State Cyclones, the team must be very happy with how they performed. Finishing up with a 25-6 record is a great accomplishment and is deserving of a strong grade. 

On Saturday, the Cyclones were able to finish up their regular season with a win against the Arizona State Sun Devils at home. On senior day, a 24-0 run by Iowa State helped secure them the win and hopefully will help them build some momentum. 

With the Big 12 tournament starting for the Cyclones on Wednesday as the five seed in the conference, the team will be hoping to pick up some more signature wins in what could be the most challenging conference tournament in the country. 

While their postseason fate is yet to be determined, the regular season has come to a close, and there were a lot of positives for the program. Here is the regular season grade for the Cyclones as they head into postseason play. 

Regular Season: Grade B+

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The final grade of a B+ is a strong one for Iowa State, but they ultimately likely feel like they left some on the table. In their last five games, the Cyclones lost three of them, and their standing for the NCAA Tournament took a major hit. 

At one point this year, Iowa State was ranked as the number two team in the country. Unfortunately, road struggles in the Big 12 ultimately resulted in five losses for the team. While playing on the road might not have been a strength, they were fantastic at home. The Cyclones only suffered one loss at Hilton Coliseum this year to a talented Texas Tech Red Raiders team. 

Based on their projections coming into the campaign, Iowa State ultimately fell pretty close to where many thought they would be. They will be the fifth seed in the Big 12 tournament, which could have been much better if not for the struggles down the stretch. 

With some big games coming up next week in Kansas City, the Cyclones will have an opportunity to improve their positioning heading into the NCAA tournament. Even though the grade of a B+ is a strong one, this was a team that was trending toward being an A or an A+ for much of the year. With a little bit of a reset now, Iowa State will be an interesting team to watch down the stretch.