Three Reasons Iowa State Basketball Can Advance to Elite 8

Here's how the Iowa State Cyclones can advance to the Elite 8

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones will be getting set to face the Tennessee Volunteers on Friday night in a Sweet 16 matchup with a trip to the Elite 8 on the line. 

It was a very impressive showing for the Cyclones in their first two games of the NCAA tournament. In their matchups against the Tennessee State Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats, Iowa State looked great in both games. 

While the team did see their star player go down with a nasty ankle injury early on, that didn’t stop them from having a couple of fantastic performances. This is a team that has understandably had to make some adjustments without their star, but so far the results have been good. 

Now, all of their focus will be on trying to beat a talented Volunteer team from the SEC conference with a trip to the Elite 8 on the line. Here are three reasons why they can advance and punch their ticket to the next round. 

Key Players Stepping Up 

Due to the absence of Jefferson, it has forced players into new roles and larger ones as well. Nate Heise has been one of those players, with the senior guard playing some of his best basketball of the year. It was the guard who entered the starting lineup for Jefferson, and he has performed great so far.

Furthermore, Killyan Toure has also played really well with Jefferson going down. The freshman guard has shown a massive improvement on the offensive end of the court, and that has been key. 

Elite Defense 

While the offense has been much-improved this year, the defense is always the straw that stirs the drink for the Cyclones. This season was no different for Iowa State, and they have taken it to a new level this March. 

Especially against Kentucky, this unit really was impressive. They were pressing a little bit, bringing frequent double-teams, and flying around the court. Defense is key in the NCAA tournament, and this unit is one of the best in the country. 

Potential Return of Jefferson 

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Even though the injury to Jefferson didn’t look good when it happened, he hasn’t been ruled out for the Sweet 16 matchup, and there has been some encouraging news of late regarding his progress. 

While the team has performed well in his absence, getting Jefferson back with the competition improving is obviously important. Hopefully, he will continue to heal up and potentially be ready for a return against Tennessee.