Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Otzelberger watches game play against the Brigham Young Cougars during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
AMES — Fortunes rise and fall. Forecasts vary as upsets emerge and buzzer-beaters reign supreme.
That why the cliché phrase “March Madness” broadly applies to the NCAA Tournament — both in terms of the seeding process and the hyper-intense, pulse-pounding game play that stretches into April.
So where might the injury-plagued and 12th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones stand as Selection Sunday looms?
As a No. 4 seed, according to the two most prominent bracketologists, Joe Lunardi of ESPN, and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports.
ISU (24-9) appeared somewhat comfortably positioned as a No. 3 seed potentially heading to Milwaukee with thousands of fans in tow a mere 24 hours ago, but as other teams in the same seed range win and lose, projections are adjusted accordingly. And the Cyclones still may still be a 3, with Milwaukee in play, as the committee doesn’t always agree with the bracket gurus, of course.
But Lunardi’s early Saturday version of the brackets ship the Cyclones off to Seattle to play 13-seed Akron (presuming the Zips win the MAC Championship) in the first-round of a geographic outlier in the East Regional. Palm put ISU closer to home in Denver, but also in the East, with a projected matchup with 13th-seeded Big South champion High Point looming in the first round.
So are they right? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, the Cyclones will embark on a potentially daunting and thrilling run that could take them just about anywhere — especially if injured star guards Tamin Lipsey (groin) and Keshon Gilbert (muscle strain) can return to the lineup.
Gilbert, who didn’t play in either of ISU’s Big 12 tournament games, called his injury “day-to-day.” Lipsey’s now in the same boat, but he’s hopeful a week off will help him heal up enough to be able to play.
“Right now I’m not super certain of what it’s gonna look like,” Lipsey said after sitting out Thursday’s 96-92 Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal loss to No. 17 BYU. “I’ll be working with (head athletic trainer) Vic (Miller) a lot in the training room and be on the court as soon as I can. … I’m gonna work as hard as I can, and I’m definitely gonna step (foot) on the court.”
Maryland and Wisconsin appeared to have recently jumped ISU in Lunardi’s and Palm’s projections. Kentucky — which compiled two more Quad 1 wins along with three more Quad 1 losses than ISU — is also a stern competitor when it comes to playing in Milwaukee.
So Selection Sunday will be an edge-of-the-seat affair for the Cyclones, as usual. The one certainty: ISU will play in its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament since head coach T.J. Otzelberger took over a 2-22 program. The Cyclones reeled off two Sweet 16 appearances in that relatively short span and regardless of seed, it’s still built to make a deep run.
“It’s extremely important that you lay it on the line, that you play for your teammates, that your pride shows up,” Otzelberger said after the BYU loss. “We’ve had ups and downs this season. We’ve had some great moments and we’ve had ones that we could have been better. When you have those experiences it brings you closer together, and I feel like our group right now there is a camaraderie, there is a bond, a connection and they want to play for one another. This time of the year special things can happen when you maintain that commitment.”
By all accounts, that bond remains sturdy even as the lineup’s been unsettled by injuries and/or illnesses for nearly two months. The Cyclones are convinced they can compete with anybody, even at less than full strength. No one knows what will happen. Everyone’s dreaming of what could happen. Especially if Gilbert and/or Lipsey is back — but nothing’s guaranteed amid the “Madness.”
“When (and if) they come back, they’re gonna be good obviously,” said forward Milan Momcilovic, who’s scored in double figures in 10 of 12 games after missing nearly a month with a hand injury. “But we’re gonna keep elevating our game to another level, so hopefully we’ll peak in the next couple of weeks.”
