Recently, James Fletcher III of On3/Rivals announced their “Way-too-early Top 25 college basketball rankings 9.0: Lineup projections for 2026-27 season.” Fletcher III picked the Iowa State Cyclones as his 19th ranked team overall, a somewhat fair projection for the program.
In his analysis of the team, he projected their starting lineup going into the 2026-27 season. He decided on JaQuan Johnson, Jamarion Batemon, Killyan Toure, Tre Singleton, and Blake Buchanan to be the first unit that the Cyclones roll out with. Furthermore, there are a few reasons why this grouping makes the most sense for Iowa State.
Let’s take a look at three reasons why the starting lineup of Johnson, Batemon, Toure, Singleton, and Buchanan are great:
Three Guards
This could serve as a positive or a negative depending on the person, but one can believe that it could give the Cyclones an upper hand. Iowa State is always great around the perimeter, both on the offense and defensive side of the ball. Having three players that are not only comfortable on the perimeter, but serve best in that position is definitely the best way to function the offense. Defensively, double teams will be smoother, and they won’t give up as many 3-point attempts either.
Great Defensive Unit
Iowa State Cyclones coach TJ Otzelberger | William Purnell-Imagn Images
Everyone knows that head coach TJ Otzelberger values defense more than anything. This roster, especially the starting lineup, represents that perfectly. Toure is an elite on-ball defender. Batemon plays as a three and D guy. Furthermore, Johnson is unbelievable on defense, getting tons of steals. Both Buchanan and Singleton have shown signs of good defensive ability as well. When it comes to being a cohesive unit and having great chemistry, this starting lineup will certainly work out well.
Mix of Old and New
The biggest critique about the current state of Iowa State football is their abundance of transfers and a potential lack of chemistry. The Cyclone basketball team needs to take a different approach that relies on a mix of returners and transfers in. It’s been a successful tactic in recent years, as teams such as the 2026 Michigan Wolverines and the 2025 Florida Gators have used a mix of both.
Chemistry always helps, while experience with other programs can provide a unique edge. This starting lineup perfectly conveys that, and a mix of returners and transfers can definitely go a long way for Iowa State in 2026-27. Overall, the roster is a deep one for Iowa State heading into the season and the program could have another special year.
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