2024 College Basketball Power Rankings (Dec. 16)
Mike Randle
Check out our entire college basketball season preview!
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Fantasy we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player, and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s start with the best conference in college basketball, the Big 12. Last season, the conference added four new teams in Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF. This year, the conference expanded to 16 teams, with Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and Arizona bolstering an already-elite conference. The Big 12 says farewell to Texas and Oklahoma, who are now in the SEC.
Let’s take a look at our betting preview for the Iowa State Cyclones.
2024-2025 College Basketball Season Preview: Iowa State Cyclones
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: T.J. Otzelberger (4th season)
2023-2024 Record: 29-8 (13-5)
ATS: 25-11-1
O/U: 17-20
Projected Starters: PG Tamin Lipsey, G Keshon Gilbert, G Milan Momciolvic, F Joshua Jefferson, F Dishon Jackson
T.J. Otzelberger is one of the best coaches in the country, despite his methodical style always being underestimated. The Cyclones qualified for their third straight NCAA Tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 for the second time in Otzelberger’s three seasons. They return a healthy 64.4% of their minutes from last season, including 67% of their possession minutes (29th most).
Iowa State finished second in the Big 12, two games behind a Houston team they beat at home, 57-53, and then crushed in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, 69-41. The Cyclones earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost 72-69 to an explosive Illinois team.
Key Player: Joshua Jefferson
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Saint Mary’s transfer needs to fill a critical frontline void for the Cyclones. Tre King and Robert Jones depart, which creates a huge defensive and rebounding need. Jefferson has the perfect game for Iowa State, averaging 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in just 25 MPG for the Gales last season. Saint Mary’s struggled when Jefferson needed season-ending surgery on a meniscus tear in early February. The Gaels had won 12 straight games prior to that point and were upset 75-66 by 12-seed Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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