PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State at No. 23 Creighton (exh.)

Who: Iowa State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Creighton (0-0, 0-0 BIG EAST)

Where: CHI Health Center (17,352) – Omaha, Neb.

When: Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 – 7:30 p.m. CT

Watch: Nebraska Public Media // Bill Doleman (PxP) & Nick Bahe (Analyst)

Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // Noah Wolf (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)

Tipping Off: No. 16 Iowa State will play its first public exhibition game against No. 23 Creighton Friday night in Omaha. This is the first time since 2017 that the Cyclones will play an exhibition game, as the NCAA passed a new rule this year allowing NCAA Division I teams to face each other in public exhibitions.

Iowa State has won its last 16 exhibition contests, dating back to 2005. The Cyclones will look to continue the streak against a fellow Top-25 program in Creighton – a school that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

Iowa State welcomes nine newcomers to the fold for the 2025-26 season, as the newest Cyclones consist of five freshmen and four transfers. Two of those newcomers, freshman Killyan Toure and transfer Blake Buchanan, were announced to be starting by Coach Otzelberger at Thursday's media availability.

Like ISU, Creighton also has a handful of newcomers, as nine of its 16 players weren't on the roster last season. Creighton's newcomers consist of three freshmen and six transfers – two of whom played Iowa State last year while members of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Josh Dix and Owen Freeman.

Storylines:

At No. 16 in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll, Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 33-straight weeks, the seventh-longest streak in the nation. It is the second-longest streak in the Big 12 behind Houston's 107, which is the longest streak in the country. The Cyclones and Cougars are the only two Big 12 schools to have streaks of at least 15 weeks.
Last season, Iowa State Head Coach T.J. Otzelberger picked up his 25th victory over an AP Top 25 team at Iowa State, passing Johnny Orr for the most in program history. He also earned his fifth NCAA Tournament victory, the most in school history.
- His .679 overall winning percentage and .568 conference winning percentage are both the best in school history.
ISU earned four ranked victories last year, tied for the 10th-most in program history.
Joshua Jefferson tallied 454 points, 259 rebounds, 109 assists, 74 steals and 26 blocks last season. He was the only player in the country with those numbers last season and the 11th since 1974-75 to do so. No player in Big 12 history has ever done it in a season.
Lipsey is averaging 10.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game in his career. He is one of 26 players since 1947-48 to average those numbers in a career while playing at least 100 games. He is one of just 10 from a Power 5 Conference to do so.
- His 237 career steals are the most in program history and the eighth-most in Big 12 history.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 194-108 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 95-45 record over the last four years.
- Otzelberger's 95 wins through his first four seasons are the most in program history.
Coach Otzelberger is the only Iowa State men's basketball coach to take multiple teams to the Sweet 16.
- He was the 51st coach in NCAA Division I history to take a team to the Sweet 16 twice in his first three years on the job.
- In four years, Otzelberger has five NCAA Tournament wins – the most by any coach in program history.
Otz currently holds the school's highest winning percentage by a head coach.
Experience won't be lacking for the Cyclones this year. Four of Iowa State's five returners started games for the Cyclones last year, including three who were full-time starters all year. In addition, eight of the 14 players on ISU's roster have at least 22 career starts.
The Cyclones finished last season ranked No. 12 in the NET. Iowa State slotted in at No. 11 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 7 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

The Cyclones and Bluejays have met 32 times in the regular season and will meet for the 33rd time this November in Las Vegas as part of the Player's Era Championship.
- ISU is 17-15 all-time against the Bluejays.
Creighton returns just two starters from last year's team that went 25-11 and won an NCAA Tournament game for the fifth straight season.
After five years patrolling the paint, four-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner (19.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 bpg) is now in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets.
- The departure of Kalkbrenner, along with Steven Ashworth (16.4 ppg, 6.8 apg) and Jamiya Neal (13.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg), means CU's top three point scorers are gone.
The team's returning leader in points and rebounds, Jackson McAndrew, will look to mesh with Iowa transfers Dix and Freeman to supplement the scoring.
Creighton head coach Greg McDermott is in his 16th season at the helm of the Bluejay basketball program. McDermott is 350-171during his time in Omaha.
- McDermott used to coach at both UNI and Iowa State and holds a 630-366 all-time coaching mark.
Creighton finished last season ranked No. 37 in the NET. The Bluejays were No. 35 in KenPom and No. 27 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State at No. 23 Creighton (exh.)

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Players Mentioned

Blake Buchanan

Joshua Jefferson

Killyan Toure

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Iowa State University Athletics

PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State at No. 23 Creighton (exh.)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Blake Buchanan

Joshua Jefferson

Killyan Toure

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