Memphis gets the measuring-stick opener Penny Hardaway wanted

2 hours ago 3

Memphis will not ease into the season. The Tigers begin Monday against Iowa State at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, a neutral-site opener that puts them opposite a team expected to compete near the top of the Big 12.

Iowa State gives Memphis an immediate measuring stick

That is precisely what makes the game useful for Memphis. A season opener against a strong opponent can expose what still needs work, but it can also establish a team’s confidence before the schedule fills with conference play. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway described the matchup when it was announced as an opportunity to measure the Tigers against a perennial top-10 program.

NEW: Memphis coach Penny Hardaway is at ease headed into his biggest season yet. “I don’t feel pressure,” he said. Here’s what to expect when Memphis meets No. 18 Iowa State tomorrow night (6 p.m., FS1). My story for @BluffCity_Media: https://t.co/b6Q01zSwYY

— Roman Cleary (@RoAClear) November 1, 2026

Iowa State also has an immediate opportunity to set a tone. The Cyclones enter ranked No. 18 in the preseason AP poll, and their game against Memphis gives them an early test away from home. The setting is technically neutral, but the pressure is real: teams with national ambitions want to begin the season looking like they belong in the rankings.

The teams meet again with a fresh start

The programs have met only once before. Iowa State won that 2021 game, 78-59, in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn. That result gives Memphis a small piece of unfinished business, though the rosters and circumstances have changed since then. Monday is a fresh contest, not a continuation of that game.

The Sanford Pentagon adds a distinctive backdrop. Memphis has played there before, while both teams will open a new season in front of a crowd in Sioux Falls that will get an early look at high-level college basketball.

MORE: UConn may have found its next breakout star in freshman Colben Landrew

Opening day in college basketball

For the Tigers, a strong performance would immediately validate the value of scheduling a challenging opener. For Iowa State, it is the first chance to show that its preseason standing reflects a team ready to perform under pressure.