Cyclone Fanatic

Iowa State basketball season is almost here! Chris Williams, Brent Blum, and Jake Brend get ready for the Cyclones’ upcoming season, break down key storylines from men’s and women’s basketball media days, and look ahead to another weekend of Big 12 football.

With Iowa State football on its bye week, the guys turn their attention to basketball. They discuss the atmosphere at Hilton Coliseum, the upcoming exhibition, the roster’s strengths and questions, and what the Cyclones need to do to be playing their best basketball in February and March.

Plus, the guys discuss Bill Fennelly’s retirement announcement, Iowa State’s evolving roster and eligibility questions, and the challenges facing the Cyclones as the new season approaches.

They break down this weekend’s biggest conference matchups, including BYU’s showdown with Notre Dame and the latest Big 12 football outlook.

Williams & Blum is presented by Mechdyne.

01:32 Show open

03:13 Iowa State Basketball Season Is Almost Here

05:03 Hilton Coliseum, Game Times and the Home-Court Experience

08:01 Iowa State Basketball, Community and Program Expectations

12:01 Women's Basketball Media Day and Bill Fennelly's Legacy

16:00 Iowa State's Roster, Transfers and Emerging Players

20:01 Eligibility Questions and the Changing College Basketball Landscape

25:00 Roster Availability, Injuries and Early-Season Expectations

28:00 Buy, Sell or Hold

30:00 Can the Cyclones Peak in February and March?

34:01 Iowa State's Perimeter Attack and Getting Into the Paint

40:01 Frontcourt Pairings and Nonconference Experimentation

48:01 Iowa State Basketball's Depth and Offensive Options

52:00 Women's Basketball and the Big 12 Landscape

54:00 Big 12 Football: Weekend Matchups and Predictions

59:00 BYU vs. Notre Dame and the Biggest Games of the Weekend

1:04:00 Big 12 Football Storylines and Closing Conversation

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As Bill Fennelly begins his 32nd and final year as Iowa State's head coach, Jake Brend shares how important his legacy is.Plus, what will T.J. Otzelberger's offensive identity be this year? Presented by Whiskey River.

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Jake Brend shares his biggest takeaways from men's basketball media days. Regardless of Tamin Lipsey's status, how vital can he be? What will the offense look like without Jefferson and Momcilovic? How does the second year jump happen consistently? Presented by Fareway Meat & Grocery.

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Basketball season is back! Iowa State kicks off the 2026-27 season with media day. CF's Jake Brend sits down 1-on-1 with returners Tamin Lipsey, Blake Buchanan, Jamarion Batemon, Killyan Toure and Dominykas Pleta.

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Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger starts his sixth year at the helm with a media day press conference to discuss Tamin Lipsey's return to Cyclone basketball. What is the process with getting him on the court? How is the program handling the uncertainty? Otzelberger gets into the dynamics of the team, sharing the jump he expects from Blake Buchanan, Jamarion Batemon and Dominykas Pleta. How is the front coming together? How are the newcomers acclimating? Otzelberger has it all.

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Iowa State football has plenty to fix after its loss to BYU. Jacqueline Cordova, Jake Remsburg, and Jirehl Brock break down what went wrong for the Cyclones and what needs to change during the bye week.

The InCYde Zone crew examines Iowa State’s offensive struggles, the offensive line’s difficulties handling BYU’s pressure, and the questions surrounding Jaylen Raynor and the passing game. They also discuss the defense’s performance, injuries and depth concerns, and how the Cyclones can get back on track for the second half of the season.

Plus, the crew looks at BYU’s home-field advantage, Iowa State’s remaining challenges, and the frustrating moments that defined Friday night’s loss.

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Chris Williams and Brent Blum analyze Iowa State’s Friday night loss to BYU from a big-picture standpoint. The Big 12 is stronger this year than it has been in a long time. Plus, the first KenPom ratings are out for college basketball. Where are the Cyclones? Guessing the point spreads and more, all courtesy of Mechdyne.

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The CF Crew reacts to Iowa State's loss to No. 8 BYU.

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Can Iowa State pull off the upset at No. 8 BYU? Jake Brend and Chris Williams preview the Cyclones’ massive Friday night road test in Provo and explain why they believe this game is much more winnable than it looked before the season.

The guys break down BYU’s injuries, the Cougars looking ahead to Notre Dame, Bear Bachmeier, Aiden Flora, Iowa State’s defense, tackling, special teams, physicality, and the importance of playing a clean game. They also make their predictions for Iowa State-BYU and discuss whether the Cyclones can stay within striking distance against one of the Big 12’s top teams.

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What does Iowa State have to do to pull off a win in Provo?Jake Brend lays out his keys to the game for Iowa State at BYU. Presented by Wyffels Hybrids.

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