KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCAU) – The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team features plenty of fresh faces for head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Iowa State was picked seventh in the Big 12 Preseason poll and returns six players, including Big 12 All-Freshman pick Tamin Lipsey. The Ames native was one of two Cyclones to start all 33 games last season.

ISU will look to replace a significant amount of its scoring as five of the team’s top six scorers are no longer on the team. Along with a star-studded freshman class that boasts the program’s highest-rated recruit in Omaha Biliew, the Cyclones picked up a trio of transfers, featuring Buffalo transfer Curtis Jones and the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in Wofford product Jackson Paveletzke.

This season’s group displays a solid mix of freshmen and players with collegiate experience, all with the same goal.

“For our program and how we look at it is that we want guys that have the passion and enthusiasm to play for Iowa State and take so much pride putting on that jersey. So, if that’s high school guys or if that’s transfers, year in and year out, we’ll evaluate it. But, we want those guys with that tremendous sense of pride for our program,” Otzelberger said at Big 12 Media Days.

The Cyclones’ season opener is scheduled for November 6th at home against Green Bay. Iowa State will play its first four games of the season at Hilton Coliseum.

Image Courtesy: AP