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The Iowa State Cyclones are about to begin one of the most crucial seasons in recent program history.
Coming into the year, Iowa State has lost out on two of their Big 3 from last year, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson. However, they brought back some big names and also added tons from the transfer portal, which could lead to immense success this season.
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The Cyclones begin their year against the Memphis Tigers, an intriguing mid-major team that always seems to cause havoc. And they have looked good in preseason this year. Memphis beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs, dominating the entire game. Then, they played it somewhat close with the Arkansas Razorbacks, falling by just 12.
Let’s take a look at three key players for Iowa State against the Tigers in their opener.
Dominykas Pleta
Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Dominykas Pleta (21) looks to pass in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is a huge game for Dominykas Pleta for one key reason. Nemanja Popovic, Memphis’s projected best player, isn’t eligible to play for the first six games of the season, which leaves a big hole in the big man position for the Tigers.
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Outside of Popovic, Memphis struggled in the paint in their exhibition games, and that created tons of opportunity for Pleta to shine. Whether it’s scoring, passing, or creating for others on a pick-and-roll, it seems like Pleta should be able to have a big game given the circumstances.
Tamin Lipsey
This isn’t necessarily a big game for Tamin Lipsey when it comes to anything schematic, just simply a big one for his leadership and his veteran experience. In the first two exhibition games, there was a clear difference between the two.
The first one without Lipsey looked uncoordinated, with poor execution. In the second…
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Publish date : 2026-11-02 04:34:00
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