Iowa State opens a season with plenty of moving parts, and the first test comes quickly against Memphis.
The Cyclones are starting a year that already feels important, especially after losing two pieces from last season’s Big 3 in Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson. Even so, Iowa State still has familiar names back in the mix and added a heavy dose of transfer help, giving this roster a chance to make noise right away.
Memphis brings its own challenge. The Tigers have already shown they can be a problem in preseason play, handling Mississippi State with ease before staying within 12 points of Arkansas. That makes the opener a useful early measuring stick for Iowa State, and there are three players who could shape how it goes.
Dominykas Pleta has a clear opening to make an impact inside. Memphis projected top player Nemanja Popovic is not eligible for the first six games, which leaves the Tigers thin at the big-man spot.
That absence matters even more because Memphis had trouble in the paint during its exhibition games. For Pleta, that creates a chance to score, facilitate, and work out of the pick-and-roll if the opportunity is there.
Tamin Lipsey’s value in this one is less about matchup tricks and more about control. Iowa State’s two exhibition games told a simple story: with Lipsey out, the team looked disjointed and sloppy; with him in the lineup, everything settled down. His leadership and experience matter from the jump, especially in an opener.
Ryan Prather Jr. also enters the game with momentum after a wildly uneven pair of exhibitions. In his first one, he finished with zero points and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
In the next, he exploded for 25 points and buried 6-of-7 from deep. That kind of swing says plenty about his ceiling, and Iowa State will be hoping that confidence carries into the season opener.
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Iowa State Gets An Immediate Test Of Its Preseason Hype
Memphis opens its basketball season with a neutral-site matchup against Iowa State in Sioux Falls, and it is the kind of first game that can tell a team plenty about where it stands. The Tigers do not have to wait long for a real measuring stick, either, because the Cyclones arrive ranked No. 18 in the preseason AP poll and bring the sort of profile that can sharpen attention right away.
For Memphis, the appeal is obvious: a chance to see how it stacks up against a strong opponent before the schedule settles into its usual rhythm. The programs have met only once before, in 2021, when Iowa State came away with the win, so this opener also adds a little history to the early-season tension. [Read more 🡒]
Charles Huff Sends A Clear Message As Memphis Stays In The Hunt
Memphis kept itself squarely in the mix with a 49-22 win over Army, a result that pushed the Tigers to 7-2 and showed how much cleaner they can look when the offense is rolling. Marcus Stokes was at the center of it, throwing for 371 yards and four touchdowns while adding another score on the ground, giving Memphis the kind of balanced burst that can change the feel of a season in a hurry.
Charles Huff also made clear afterward that this was no ordinary Saturday, pointing to the challenge of preparing for Armys option attack and the discipline it takes to handle it. The Tigers answered it well, and with the stretch run approaching, the bigger question is how far this version of Memphis can carry itself if it keeps stacking performances like this. [Read more 🡒]
Memphis Opens With A Huge Test And One Major Roster Cloud
Memphis will open the 2026-27 regular season with a serious measuring-stick game, facing No. 18 Iowa State at a neutral site matchup at Sanford Pentagon. It is the kind of early test that can tell a lot about where the Tigers stand right away, especially with the American Conference preseason coaches already slotting them second and giving the program a clear target to chase.
The roster picture, though, is not entirely settled. Senior Nemanja Popovic has been cleared by the NCAA for two years of eligibility, but he is also facing a six-game withholding period tied to previous international competition, and Memphis is appealing the ruling. Even with that cloud hanging over the start of the season, the Tigers have some recognized firepower in senior Jayden Reid and Tylik Weeks, who earned preseason all-conference honors on the first and second teams. [Read more 🡒]