The No. 5 Cyclones have their highest preseason ranking ever with most of the major contributors back from the team that posted the second-most wins in program history, finished second behind Houston in the Big 12 and reached the Sweet 16. Tamin Lipsey (junior, G, 6-1).
The preseason All-Big 12 pick is one of the most versatile point guards in the country. He averaged 12.4 points, 4.
6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, shot 39% on 3-pointers and his 2.67 steals per game led the Big 12 and ranked fourth in the nation.
Keshon Gilbert (senior, G, 6-4). He led the team with 13.7 points per game and averaged 4.
4 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He has a knack for getting to the free-throw line, where he was a 73% shooter.
His 74 steals were second to Lipsey's 94. Milan Momcilovic (sophomore, F, 6-8). He averaged 10.
9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and was named to the Big 12 all-freshman team. The Cyclones were 20-5 in games in which he scored in double figures.
Curtis Jones (senior, G, 6-4). The sixth man averaged 11 points and 27 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 26 in the Sweet 16 loss to Illinois, making him the third player to score at least 26 off the bench in a regional semifinal since 1989.
The biggest losses are in the frontcourt, where starters Tre King and Robert Jones and reserve Hason Ward gave the Cyclones quality minutes over multiple seasons. Also gone is Omaha Biliew, the consensus five-star recruit who transferred to Wake Forest. Coach TJ Otzelberger signed fo.