PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State vs. Grambling State

Who: Iowa State (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Grambling State (1-0, 0-0 SWAC)

Where: Hilton Coliseum (14,267) – Ames, Iowa

When: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT

Watch: ESPN+ // BJ Schaben (PxP), Derrin Hansen (Analyst) & Abby Altman (Sideline)

Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // John Walters (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)

Tipping Off: Iowa State will look to extend its 35-game non-conference home winning streak, as it welcomes Grambling State to Ames for its second contest of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

The Cyclones head into Thursday's contest having won their season-opener against FDU on Monday night, downing the Knights by 38 points. Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey all finished in double figures for the Cyclones in the win.

Grambling will head north for its first road game of the year, as it opened the season at home against Huston-Tillotson on Monday. The Tigers downed Huston-Tillotson in the opener by a score of 91-47 as five different players finished in double figures.

Game Note: Thursday's contest is Iowa State's "Legacy of Service" night. Whether you're a veteran yourself, have a family member who served, or know someone currently stationed at home or abroad, we invite you to please share their story. Send us a photo and a brief description of their service, and we'll proudly feature them during our upcoming Cyclone events. More info can be found here.

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.
The Cyclones had five players named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch lists. Iowa State was one of nine schools in the country to have at least three players named. Along with three selections on the women's side, ISU was one of just five schools in the country to have at least six combined selections.
- Tamin Lipsey was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List.
- Milan Momcilovic was named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List.
- Joshua Jefferson was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List. Former Cyclone Georges Niang won the award in 2016.
A Preseason All-Big 12 Team selection, Tamin Lipsey showed no rust in the season opener, despite missing a few weeks with an injury.
- Lipsey opened the year with 18 points and five steals. It was Lipsey's sixth 5-steal game of his career, tying for second in school history.
Junior wing Milan Momcilovic started his third collegiate season with a bang against FDU, dropping a career-high 29 points.
- As part of his 29 points, Momcilovic canned a personal best seven 3-pointers, tying for the 10th most 3-pointers made in a game by a Cyclone.
The ever-versatile Joshua Jefferson opened the year with 14 points and grabbed a game-high 10 boards, his 10th career double-double as a Cyclone.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 195-108 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 96-45 record over the last four years.
- Otzelberger's 96 wins through his first five seasons are the most in program history.
Under Otz, ISU is 49-10 against non-conference opponents. His 49 wins are tied for the ninth-most in the nation and the .831 winning percentage is the sixth-best.
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.
As of Tuesday, Iowa State slots in at No. 12 in the KenPom rankings and No. 9 in the ESPN Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

Grambling State and Iowa State will meet for the fourth time, and the third time in the last five seasons.
- ISU is 3-0 all-time and has won the two most recent meetings by an average of 45 points.
- GSU isn't the only team from the SWAC that will visit Ames, as Alcorn State will also make the trip north in early December.
The Tigers return just one player, P.J. Edwards, from last year's team. The remaining 15 players either graduated or transferred. Of those who transferred out, six followed Jackson to Alabama A&M and stayed in the SWAC.
- To offset last year's player departures, Crarey brought in 11 transfers as well as a pair of freshmen.
Grambling was picked to finish seventh out of 12 in the SWAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, one spot higher than its eighth-place finish in 2024-25.
Grambling head coach Patrick Crarey II is in his first season at the helm of the Tiger basketball program. Crarey is 1-0 during his short time in Grambling, La.
- Crarey was appointed the 12th coach in GSU history this summer, replacing Donte' Jackson, who left for fellow SWAC school Alabama A&M. Crarey would also leave a SWAC school, Florida A&M, to take over the Grambling State team.
- Crarey owns an all-time coaching record of 128-103.
As of Tuesday, Grambling State is No. 302 in the KenPom rankings and No. 293 in the ESPN Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State vs. Grambling State

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Joshua Jefferson

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

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PRIMER: No. 16 Iowa State vs. Grambling State

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