Iowa
Iowa State basketball asserts itself as contender even in loss | Hines
KANSAS CITY – There were no tears. Faces were not buried in jerseys, hiding the pain. There was no consoling or commiserating.
Even with angst bubbling under their skin and disappointment flooding their veins, Iowa State remained stoic. Solid. Steadfast.
For the Cyclones knew the truth.
This was a loss, yes, one with weight enough to crush your soul – basketball or eternal – but Iowa State saw its 82-80 loss on a buzzer-beater to second-ranked Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals for what it was.
An epic featuring two teams worthy of playing in April.
“We really respect Arizona and their program,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said after the March 13 los, “but just like they’re a Final Four contender, so are we.
“And what our guys took away from tonight is that we have big things ahead of us coming next week, the following week and the week after that.”
There’s a key distinction between a moral victory and the validation of a conviction.
A moral victory would be Iowa State feeling good about itself for playing the Wildcats, who along with Michigan and Duke have separated themselves as the class of the country, down to the wire. For giving Arizona all that it could handle. For giving it the ol’ college try.
That, though, is not what Iowa State experienced. This wasn’t the Cyclones giving it their all and nearly toppling the league champs.
This was a game among equals.
The Cyclones walked off the floor, into the locker room and toward an NCAA Tournament knowing that, deep in their bones. For them, it is not an opinion. It is fact. As irrefutable as the sun rising in the east or all of Ames heading south to fill T-Mobile Center the second week of March.
“Probably one of the most competitive college basketball games of the year,” guard Tamin Lipsey said.
“We know we can compete with them.”
This game may have been played on a Friday night in Kansas City, but it just as easily could have been contended on the first Saturday or Monday of April in Indianapolis. The level of play was sublime. The defense was excellent, but the offense was on another level.
The two teams combined to score on their final 11 possessions of the game. Seven of those possessions ended with made 3-pointers, including the game-tying one with 15 seconds left from Lipsey, who was 1-of-10 from the floor before burying that equalizer.
Then, though, Jaden Bradley got his legend moment.
The senior and Big 12 Player of the Year wanted to take Iowa State’s young Frenchman, Killyan Toure, off the dribble. Thought he could get by the freshman, to the bucket and into the championship game.
Instead, Toure played immaculate defense. He stopped Bradley’s progress. He redirected him, not only from his preferred path but actually away from the basket. Toure stayed in lockstep. As the final seconds ticked down, Bradley was left with only one option – turn, shoot and pray.
As that prayer hung in the Missouri air, you could almost feel the basketball gods debating their judgment. Weighing these Cyclones and Wildcats against each other as the ball rose up and out of Bradley’s hand and then rendering a verdict as it fell back toward Earth.
On this night, the deities decreed for the team from the desert.
Iowa State men fall to Arizona in classic Big 12 Tournament semifinal
Iowa State men fall to Arizona in classic Big 12 Tournament semifinal
“So it was a crazy shot,” Bradley said, “but it was a great defense, for sure.”
You might have to stop short of calling Toure’s defense perfect, but only because the dang shot went in. It’s hard to imagine him playing the moment any better.
“He made a tough shot,” Toure said. “I did my best. Unfortunately, it went in.
“Of course it hurts. It hurts a little bit, but it’s part of the game. I just have to move on with the team because we’ve got the March Madness coming up. It’s OK. It will help me for the future, and for the team as well.
“That was a good experience.”
Oftentimes in a locker room after a loss like that, there’s a current of disbelief that runs through. A sort of shock mixed with frustration, anger and, perhaps most potently, sadness.
That was not the scene in Iowa State’s locker room.
The Cyclones stood there bloody and bruised, like a prizefighter losing on a split decision that only makes the inevitable – another shot at the belt – all the more alluring. Because it’s not only within sight, it’s within grasp.
“We’re playing our best right now,” Milan Momcilovic said after scoring 28 points and making eight 3s. “We’re clicking on both sides of the ball.
“I think no team really wants to see us in the tournament because we are ready to play and we’re a fierce competitor.”
The Cyclones will shuffle onto the bus Saturday morning for the ride back to Ames. As those 200 miles pass by their windows, it would be easy to think about what might have been. To wish they could have made one more shot. To lament not getting one more stop. To wonder what might have been in overtime.
I doubt, though, that’s how the Cyclones spend those hours.
“We know,” Otzelberger said, “we have our best still in front of us.”
There’s no time or use for mourning when there are still games to be won, nets to be cut and history to be made.
The Cyclones will not return home with a trophy, but they’ll spend that bus ride back believing, like never before, they can win the next one.
Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
While most of the focus for the Iowa State Cyclones will be on the football program for the next couple of months, the basketball program will also be getting set soon for a new campaign. Coming off a strong season, expectations for them will be high.
The 2025-26 season will go down as a memorable one for the Cyclones. This was a team that exceeded most expectations and ended up being one of the best teams in the country.
Iowa State started out the campaign with a 16-0 record, and the group looked like a real contender. While there were some hiccups during a challenging conference schedule, the Cyclones were one of the best teams in the country.
In March Madness, Iowa State was a number two seed, proving to be one of the top eight teams in the country. As they get set for next season, their goal will undoubtedly be to be ranked highly again. However, they may have to prove themselves a bit.
Joe Lunardi of ESPN recently updated his very early bracketology report for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign for the Cyclones. After being a number two seed last year in the NCAA Tournament, he currently has them on the five line.
Iowa State Has Work To Do
While being a five seed in the NCAA Tournament would indicate a Top 25 season for the Cyclones, expectations for the program are higher than that at this point.
Iowa State has become one of the more consistent programs in the country over the last several years, and they will undoubtedly want to take a step forward this coming season.
Due to a lot of production leaving, it is understandable that how they are viewed now could be very different from how they are perceived come March. Due to all of the new players that are coming in, it is going to take time for them to gel.
The Cyclones have a few key returning players led by Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon, and Blake Buchanan. Both Toure and Buchanan were starters for the team last season, and that should remain the same this year. However, Batemon also played a significant role coming off the bench, and his scoring ability might put him next to Toure in the starting lineup this coming year.
Overall, while the team did lose a lot of production, they have a good amount of depth with the new players coming in and some key freshmen returning. If things go right and the team gels quickly, they should be better than a five seed.
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Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on Tre Singleton player comparisons
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on Tre Singleton player comparisons
It didn’t take Tre Singleton long to learn the lesson that has dawned on so many Iowa State basketball transfers before him.
“There’s not much to do around Ames,” the Northwestern transplant said July 14, “besides get better and be good at basketball.”
Perhaps not a slogan the Ames Chamber of Commerce will be adopting any time soon, but a sentiment – and, maybe, self-fulfilling prophecy – that the Cyclones themselves have turned into something of a brand, going back to the early days of Fred Hoiberg’s Transfer U tenure.
Get in the lab. Get better. Get wins.
Repeat.
“Cut all the distractions,” Singleton said of the setup. “It helps you key in on the things you need to work on to get better at.
“It helps me come in here every day with the focus of being better.”
That’s a focus Iowa State and its fans hope they’ll be able to appreciate this winter when Singleton is expected to take on a significant role for a Cyclones team that will reconfigure itself after losing three starters off last year’s Sweet 16 squad.
Most notably, Singleton has the look and feel of a Joshua Jefferson approximation. At least in terms of style and role. Expecting a transfer coming off a promising, but certainly not elite freshman season to just slide into the spot previously occupied by an All-American and first-round NBA Draft pick would probably be … unwise.
“I think it’s best to stay away from any comparisons to other guys because Tre needs to be the best version of himself,” said Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger. “There’s differences between him and Joshua, even though I know there’s a natural inclination to draw that comparison.”
That natural inclination comes from their similar size (both 6-foot-8 though Jefferson has 30 pounds on 215-pound Singleton), versatility as playmaking power forwards, ability to rebound and high-IQ play.
I think the expectation for Singleton (and Iowa State fans) is to see if the sophomore can operate in that same Jefferson role, if not with the same sort of production and overall impact.
“We see him as somebody who can create advantages for us offensively to make plays,” Otzelberger said. “He’s a gifted passer. He takes a lot of pride in making the right play.”
I think the high-end hope would be that Singleton can approach that Jeffersonian impact in a year or two.
“Tre,” Otzelberger said, “is a very gifted player.”
Singleton’s bet on Iowa State’s development model and the Cyclones’ bet on Singleton to maximize it seems like the sort of transfer portal match that’s often overlooked amid doom-and-gloom bellyaching about player movement.
I’m sure the dozens (dozens!) of Northwestern hoops fans would disagree, but Singleton’s move from a middling Big Ten program with a sparse NBA track record to a Big 12 contender with a strong developmental program seems like not only an inoffensive use of the portal but one that rewards both ascendant players and programs.
We’ll see how it plays out, but Singleton and Iowa State feels like a win-win marriage of skillset, opportunity and culture.
“I chose Iowa State,” Singleton said, “because it fits me as a person. “
Besides, Evanston has the lakeshore and a world-class city 20 miles away. Which, sure, I’d call amenities, but aspiring NBA players might consider distractions.
You take your wins where you can get them, I suppose.
Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
See the unique cotton candy art at the Iowa State Fair
Cotton candy has been a popular treat at the State Fair for decades, but one family is pushing the fluffy limit on the sweet classic.
It’s all about the food at the Iowa State Fair, and a panel of judges has named their top new foods coming to the fair in 2026.
From an initial list of 84 entries, the field was narrowed to 11 contenders. Judges tasted each of the 11 new foods and voted for three finalists during a Facebook livestream event from the fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 14.
Those three will compete for fairgoers’ votes for the 2026 Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair.
Last year, Winn & Sara’s Kitchen’s bacon chicken ranch eggroll took home the top honor.
These three finalists will face off in public voting Aug. 13-19 at the Iowa State Fair. The winner will be announced Aug. 21.
What are the top three new foods at the 2026 Iowa State Fair?
All-American Scrambled Egg Roll
Winn & Sara’s Kitchen will try for its third-straight win with a breakfast offering. The All-American Scrambled Egg Roll is stuffed with bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs and cheddar, finished with cheesy ranch.
- Cost: $15
- Vendor: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen
- Where: Next to the craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building
Porky Parm Gnocchi
The Pork Parm Gnocchi features gluten-free potato gnocchi with sausage, parmesan cream and pesto. It’s topped with an America 250 flag and a suvenir piggy pal.
- Cost: $14
- Vendor: Destination Grille
- Where: Between the Jacobson Building and the Craft Beer Tent
Ultimate Minneapple Pie
An offering from a Minnesota State Fair vendor making its first Iowa State Fair appearance, the Ultimate Minneapple Pie includes fried apple pie with ice cream and apple syrup.
- Cost: $14
- Vendor: Minneapple Pie
- Where: Near the Anne and Bill Riley Stage
More standout new foods at the 2026 fair
Here are the eight other items that rounded out the top 11:
- 1776 Dubai Strawberries from The Strawberry Station, $19. Fresh strawberries topped with milk chocolate, pistachio crème and crunchy kataifi. Find it at West Marketplace.
- Cajun Cluck ’N’ Chaos from Cluckin’ Coop, $14. Cajun chicken sloppy joe with slaw, spicy pickles, pickled egg and pickle cotton candy. This lunch-cafeteria special is served right across the street from the Animal Learning Center at Little Hands on the Farm.
- Crunchy Lamb Wrap from HoQ, $19. Deep‑fried naan stuffed with risotto, lamb and cheese. Located east of the Administration Building.
- Garlic Dill Pickle Cheese Curds from Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds, $9. Garlic‑dill mashup curds. You can find Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds west of the Jacobson Building.
- Star Spangled Swine from Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ, $15. Pork belly with apple‑chipotle rub and honey crystals. Located next to the Iowa craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building.
- Strawberry Bliss from Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association, $8. Shortbread, strawberry, meringue and milk chocolate. Located in the Agriculture Building, under the southwest stairs.
- Stuffed Tater Kegs from Tater Todd and Hot Doug’s, $10. Loaded potato bites with breakfast or cheese options. Located in front of the Agriculture Building.
- Sweet Americana from Over the Top, $13. Strawberry shortcake, lemon bar and blueberry crisp ice creams. Over the Top’s stand is on Grand Avenue, just outside the Varied Industries Building.
Previous winners of Best New Foods at the Iowa State Fair
- 2013: Zag’s Po Boys — Shrimp Corn Dog
- 2014: Multiple vendors — Funnel Cake on a Stick
- 2015: The Rib Shack — Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb
- 2016: Iowa Turkey Federation — Not Your Mamma’s Taco
- 2017: Steer ‘N’ Stein — Pork Almighty
- 2018: Applishus — Apple Eggroll
- 2019: G Mig’s Wrap Stand — Georgie’s Roast with the Most Wrap
- 2020: No fair due to COVID-19
- 2021: Cluckin’ Coop by the Iowa Egg Council/Iowa Poultry Association — Chicken Egg Salad with Fry Bread
- 2022: The Rib Shack — The Finisher
- 2023: What’s Your Cheez — Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese
- 2024: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll
- 2025: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon chicken ranch Eggroll
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
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