The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team has a lot of star power and production to replace this season.
Point guard Tamin Lipsey, guard Nate Heise and forward Joshua Jefferson have all exhausted their eligibility. Forward Milan Momcilovic tested the draft waters and withdrew, ultimately transferring to the Kentucky Wildcats.
Luckily, there will be some continuity on the roster with four rotation players returning: sophomores Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon and Dominykas Pleta, along with senior Blake Buchanan. Having those four will raise the ceiling, but their ceiling is certainly capped with the injury to Toure.
It was recently revealed that the talented guard had to undergo surgery on his shoulder and is expected to be sidelined until January. That is a massive blow to the team because he was set to take on a massive role heading into Year 2 under T.J. Otzelbeger.
Killyan Toure injury is massive blow to Iowa State
A tenacious defender, Toure was praised for the work he did on that end of the court as a freshman. Opposing coaches spoke about it, and Lipsey, who was voted the best point-of-attack defender in the country, thought that Toure deserved that distinction.
Knowing how important defense is to an Otzelberger team's success, the loss of Toure is a massive one. Offensively, his role was going to expand as well, likely taking over more as a ball-handling and offensive initiator.
Without Lipsey and Jefferson, who combined for 9.9 assists per game, expanded responsibility on offense was expected. Toure proved capable of handling it when Lipsey was sidelined by an injury earlier in the season, and his production improved down the stretch as his confidence returned in his jump shot.
Jaquan Johnson will be counted on to replace Killyan Toure
Iowa State at least has a talented guard to turn to in Jaquan Johnson. A transfer from the Bradley Braves, he is the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also averaged 16.9 points and 3.6 assists per game.
If he can adjust to life in the Big 12, he is going to be one of the most impactful transfer additions in the nation. Johnson is a perfect fit for what the Cyclones do on both ends, and he will assume a massive role as long as Toure is sidelined.
When healthy, Iowa State could certainly challenge for a Big 12 championship. Otzelberger is an excellent coach and always has his squad ready to go. But if Toure cannot get up to speed quickly upon his return from injury, the Cyclones' ceiling is certainly capped lower than anticipated.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Iowa State Basketball Ceiling Capped by Killyan Toure Injury.
