When reevaluating Iowa State’s fairly revelatory first season under T.J. Otzelberger, it’s not insulting or reductive to put it like this: Teams that get key stops and make key shots give themselves a chance, never mind the aesthetics. The Cyclones generally did all of that, including the lack of overly pretty basketball part. The defense was elite. The offense was … well, not. But it was good enough often enough when it needed to be, primarily because one guy got a bunch of important buckets at important moments, and such was life in Hilton Coliseum and beyond.

That is how Iowa State men’s basketball went from two wins to the Sweet 16 in a calendar year. And when appraising what lies ahead in the next few months, after some roster upheaval and restocking and a full summer of on-floor workouts, it appears we can put it like this: It’s not going to go much different. The core identity will be the core identity. How Iowa State wins in 2022-23 probably will look a lot like how Iowa State won in 2021-22.

“I would say that’s accurate,” Otzelberger says, a couple days after his players returned to campus, and a couple days before the official preseason workouts begin. “For us, we’re always going to be blue-collar. We do the work, and that sort of thing. I think those habits showed up for us on game nights, and they’ll continue more of that same element or dynamic with this year’s group.”

That may change over time, yes, particularly when considering Otzelberger and Co. have secured commitments in the Class of 2023 from five-star forward Omaha Biliew and four-star, top 40 forward Milan Momcilovic. It doesn’t mean anything for the present, of course, which requires replacing the top two scorers from a year ago — Izaiah Brockington, the aforementioned key bucket-getter, and Tyrese Hunter, who transferred to Texas — while integrating four transfers and three freshmen and losing none of the defensive connectivity. “We have to start to figure out, with as many new guys we have, who plays well together? What lineups? What combinations?” Otzelberger says. “As much as we’re probably built more defensively, I think we got to try to balance our lineups out. Role definition, so guys know exactly what their job is, is going to be important.”

With an already eye turned toward the Nov. 7 season opener, Otzelberger talked with The Athletic about a summer of insights and a look-ahead to Year 2.