A New Era for the Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team faces a significant challenge in replacing their top three scorers from last season's Sweet Sixteen squad, but the program is in a better position than most Big 12 rivals as it brings back 37.4% of its scoring output, second only to TCU.
While the Cyclones trail the TCU Horned Frogs, who are returning 53.3% of their points, they outpace the Arizona Wildcats, who are at 27.8%, and are far ahead of the Houston Cougars and Kansas Jayhawks, who are returning just 24.3% and 5% respectively.
Head coach T.J. Otzelberger has built a reputation for retaining talent and developing players, a trait that will be tested as the team integrates its returning core.
Among those returning, Killyan Toure averaged 8.6 points per game, Blake Buchanan contributed 8.5, and Jamarion Batemon added 6.6, while Dominykas Pleta posted 4.4 points in his sophomore campaign.
The departure of Milan Momcilovic, who declared for the NBA Draft and transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats, along with the exhaustion of eligibility by Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey, leaves a void that the Cyclones hope to fill through increased roles for the remaining players.
Batemon, who shot 37% from three‑point range as a freshman, is expected to make the biggest leap in scoring average and could become a primary shooter, while Pleta and the other returnees will see expanded offensive opportunities in the 2026‑27 season.