Nov 2, 2026 · 12 min
Iowa State tests its early momentum against Memphis
DAILY CLONE: Memphis Preview & Aiden Flora is Special
The opener offers an early measure of Iowa State’s progress under T.J. Otzelberger against a physical, experienced Memphis roster.
- 1Memphis brings physical frontcourt play, experienced guards, energy, and cohesion into a meaningful season opener.
- 2Iowa State’s early success under T.J. Otzelberger gives the matchup added context beyond a routine opening game.
- 3The episode connects recent football momentum with anticipation for Iowa State basketball’s trip to Sioux Falls.
Don't miss
The episode revisits Iowa State’s memorable win over Memphis in Brooklyn and explains why that result still colors the matchup.
The brief
Traveling to Sioux Falls for Iowa State’s opener, the Daily Clone host starts with the Cyclones’ recent football win before turning to a basketball game carrying unusual early-season weight.
Memphis arrives with a physical frontcourt, experienced guards, energy, and cohesion, making its roster construction the central challenge in Iowa State’s season-opening test.
Jimmy Rogers’ scouting discussion uses Memphis’s performance against Arkansas to frame how the Tigers’ strengths may translate against Iowa State.
The matchup also revives Iowa State’s early success under T.J. Otzelberger, including a memorable win over Memphis in Brooklyn and the rivalry context it created.
With Penny Hardaway on the opposing sideline, the opener becomes an early test of Iowa State’s momentum and of how Memphis responds to its history with the Cyclones.
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