**** Official 2026 MBB Spring Transfer Portal Thread ****

[cyclones500]

It's kinda wild that a #5 seed has never won it all.

It does seem like one may have done it at some point, but I think only four have reached title game.

2023: (5) San Diego State loss to (4) UConn
2010: (5) Butler lost to (1) Duke
2002: (5) Indiana lost to (1) Maryland
2000: (5) Florida lost to (1) Michigan State

Three of those four lost to a 1 seed in the championship. Each also defeated a 1 in Sweet 16 (none were able to "coast" by getting a 8/9/16)

 

[paysclone]

I'd agree at the moment it does. But what happens if all the freshman play along with Mitchell? That would be at the expense of transfers. We might think differently by this time next year.

We dont even know what transfers/incoming freshman make it through summer workouts.

 

[NWICY]

Saw JT Rock ended up at KSt.

 

[tim_redd]

Not as big a jump as I thought he would be able to make.

There's always next year.

 

[rosshm16]

Saw JT Rock ended up at KSt.

I just saw that too. Evidently it happened yesterday, I missed that somehow.

He seems to have upped his tattoo game.

 

[qwerty]

Based on my news feed, Cade McNamara

He is one of the best defenders in NCAA history. Nobody scores around him.

 

[t-noah]

A higher power clearly favors EIU athletics.

Meanwhile we can't even get past Tax Day without a season-ending injury to a starter in football.

I'm hoping for the 5 month rehab plan for Awls. The return to near 100% with ACL repairs keeps getting shorter.

I'm kidding, of course. He should be ready for next year though. Pretty bumb deal for this year. But hopefully we'll have him for next year. Next man up.

 

[t-noah]

I wouldn't go so far as "who cares", but I think if you consistently win a lot of games (higher seed), in the long run you will have a better chance of breakthrough of winning it all.

#11 almost as good as a #7.

I'd take a #11 ranked team going into the tournament, right now for next year. No guarantees we will be in top 10 or even top 20 next year. Should be a fun year though.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Saw JT Rock ended up at KSt.

Yeah I don’t like that. I think Rock is going to turn into a really good player

 

[MyNameEhJeff]

Yes.

If you’re not one of the 8 best teams in your conference…you’re a fraud who got lucky to be in the final 8 of the tournament.

Clearly Florida was already thinking about which strip club they would go to after the game. Even then they only lost by one.

Looking at the Box Scores…that game is a complete conundrum. Tied for rebounds, FL had one more turn over. FL shot better from 3, and the FT line with more FT attempts, and only 1% less on 2’s …and Iowa somehow got off more shots.

Iowa pulls things like this out of their ass somehow.

But at the end of the day, in March madness, winning is all that matters. I agree, Iowa was trash for the second half of the year, and especially when they entered conference play. I'm not sure I'd go as far as to call them a "fraud" though - their HC is a stud, and IMO, their run was more about him than it was about anyone on their team (and i HATE that he's at Iowa), but they beat a #1 seed (who many had in their final four), and a very good Nebraska team. Iowa was just playing really good ball at the right time and i think BM is a freak coach who knows how to win in the post season.

I think if Iowa and Florida were to play 10 times in the regular season, Florida wins that game 8 or 9 times

 

[bawbie]

Yeah I don’t like that. I think Rock is going to turn into a really good player

But also KSU is probably going to struggle in Alexander's first year. Curious that he's brought no players over from Belmont (so far)

 

[bawbie]

Louisville is continuing to go crazy in the portal, adding Karter Knox from Arkansas on top of Bigunga and Shelstad

St Johns looked like they were going to keep a good core - but then both Darling and Sanon hit the portal this week.

 

[Jdk]

I heard over a week ago Louisville pretty much depleted their rainy day fund and put it into basketball for this upcoming season!

 

[SoleCyclone]

 

[ISUTex]

Yeah I don’t like that. I think Rock is going to turn into a really good player

Ehhh.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Nice overview of our incoming transfer class with comments on each of them from TJ. I'm ready for basketball again already!

Cyclone Men’s Basketball Adds Five Transfers - Iowa State Athletics

Iowa State head men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced the addition of five transfers to the 2026-27 Iowa State roster. Leon Bond III (Norther...

cyclones.com

 

[RedlineSi]

 

[CyLyte2]

TJ is the master of moneyball.

 

[jarviswestfanclub]

Nice overview of our incoming transfer class with comments on each of them from TJ. I'm ready for basketball again already!

Cyclone Men’s Basketball Adds Five Transfers - Iowa State Athletics

Iowa State head men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced the addition of five transfers to the 2026-27 Iowa State roster. Leon Bond III (Norther...

cyclones.com

Looks like we have a ton of guys between 6'3" and 6'5", we do have 3 true centers but only 3 True fowards without Milan...this is including the freshmen Kiss and DRK who will likely be out of the rotation. The biggest question mark I have is Xzavion Mitchell, who obviously didnt play much this year with an undisclosed injury. Hes listed at 6'6" and projected as a SF out of HS, i figured hed transfer but hasnt entered his name yet so TJ must have a plan to get him some playing time this year or the year after at least. You guys think he cracks the rotation this year?

 

[jakemcilroy]

My take:

Otz has tried but NEVER consistently plays 9 guys. So, most likely, after the dust settles of non-con, he will play 8 guys. Here is my prediction:

Toure
Batemon
Bond
Singleton
Buchanan
---
Johnson
Prather
Pleta

Start with defense, bring offense off the bench.