The Iowa State Cyclones have landed a No. 2 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as announced by the selection committee on Sunday night. Iowa State is coming off of an 82-80 loss to Arizona in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Friday in Kansas City. Iowa State will take on No. 15 seed Tennessee State on Friday. If they win, they will play the winner of No. 7 Kentucky and No. 10 Santa Clara on Sunday.
Iowa State 2025-26 Basketball Season
TJ Otzelberger and the Iowa State Cyclones had an incredible season. They are one of the most balanced squads in the country, with lethal units on both sides of the ball. They went 27-7 throughout the regular season and 12-6 in league play, which put them in fifth in conference standings.
They’re led by an incredible starting five, with multiple people coming off the bench to pitch in and contribute. Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jackson, and Tamin Lipsey are the big three in Ames, combining for 47.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game. Blake Buchanan, Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon, and Nate Heise are also individuals of note.
The Cyclones are led by an incredible head coach, TJ Otzelberger, who is in his fifth season in Ames and has gone 122-52 in his time with the program.
Iowa State NCAA Tournament History
From 1944-2025, the Iowa State basketball team reached the NCAA Division I tournament 24 times with an overall record of 24-24. The Cyclones have made the NCAA Tournament every single season under Otzelberger, and have made the Sweet 16 twice in that span. The highest seed Iowa State has earned in the NCAA Tournament is a 2-seed, which has occurred on three separate occasions, in 2000, 2024, and now, 2026.
The last few years, the program has had a case of the early exits, but the 2025-26 squad has the power to change that. They’ve made the Elite Eight once in 2000 and the Sweet 16 seven times.
