The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has turned into one of the most consistent teams under head coach T.J. Otzelberger. He took over a program that went 2-22 in the last season under Steve Prohm, but immediately got things on track. The Cyclones have made the NCAA tournament all four years with Otzelberger at the helm and are looking to do it again this campaign. Based on preseason expectations, it appears that a fifth consecutive trip is likely. Some preseason rankings have been shared, and Iowa State is comfortably in the top 25. One outlet that holds the Cyclones in high regard is KenPom. In those preseason rankings, Iowa State comes in at No. 13, with a net rating of +24.16. As has been the case under Otzelberger, most of the team’s value comes from the defensive side of the ball. KenPom has them as the second-best defensive rating in the country with an 89.5. The only team ahead of them in that metric is their Big 12 rivals, the Houston Cougars, with an 88.3. Where the Cyclones are going to h
