This Key Reason is Why Iowa State Cyclones are a National Championship Contender

Are the Iowa State Cyclones a National Championship contender?

Feb 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) and Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) wait to celebrate with Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise (0) after the basket in their game with the Baylor Bears during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones saw their five-game winning streak come to an end following a loss on the road to the TCU Horned Frogs, but this is still a very talented team that can accomplish a lot. 

Coming into Tuesday night, the road matchup against the Horned Frogs was always going to be a challenging game following a close game against the Baylor Bears and a looming matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks. That proved to be true with Iowa State putting together arguably their worst offensive showing of the year. 

This was a team that was sloppy on offense, totaling 17 turnovers, and didn't shoot the ball efficiently either. While it wasn’t a good performance for the Cyclones, they are still 21-3 on the season and one of the best teams in arguably the best conference in college basketball. 

There are going to be some challenging games coming up for Iowa State, and they will ultimately have to prove themselves in those matchups. However, they do appear to be a contender as of now because of one main reason. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about why the Cyclones can be a National Championship contender and highlighted the balance of the team this campaign. 

Iowa State Strong on Both Ends

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even though the terrible offensive performance against the Horned Frogs might not have shown it, the Cyclones have been a good team offensively this year. The improvements made by players like Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic have enabled this team to take a step to the next level. 

Offensively, these have been two of the best players in the country, with Momcilovic being the top three-point shooter in the nation and Jefferson being an all-around threat on the offensive end. The improvements on offense are a main reason why the team has been as good as they have, especially because of what they do on the defensive end of the court. 

The combination of Tamin Lipsey and Killyan Toure is one of the best defensive pairings in the backcourt in the country. Lipsey is a steals machine in the passing lanes, and Toure has proven quickly to be one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. 

Overall, with the team being extremely strong on both ends of the court, and while they have had some tough road losses in Big 12 play, they are certainly a title contender.