The Iowa State Cyclones opened up their 2026-27 college basketball season with an exhibition against the Creighton Bluejays at home.
Going into the game, Iowa State was expected to win comfortably, but without star guard Tamin Lipsey , it seemed like they might have a bit of trouble.
And they certainly did. Creighton took an early lead and held onto it for a while. They built up a lead as big as 19, leading 69-50 in the middle of the second half, but the Cyclones were able to make it a game.
Iowa State went on a 30-14 run to set up a potential game-tying shot at the last second. But unfortunately, a Leon Bond III 3-point shot at the buzzer didn't go his way, and the Bluejays were able to come out with the victory.
Let's take a look at three Cyclone standouts from the exhibition loss:
Iowa State guard Jamarion Batemon (1) speaks with members of the media during the university's men's basketball media day at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune/USA Today Network). | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Coming into the season, many looked to Jamarion Batemon to take a big step up offensively. And he certainly did in the exhibition game. The guard had 15 points, shooting 5-of-15 from the field and hitting three 3-pointers.
Offensively, he was the key to Iowa State's success. Defensively, he was great as well. He had four steals and was one of the team's only positives on that side of the ball. Batemon has now proven that he can be the team's best two-way player on a night when he is hitting shots.
Leon Bond III had probably the most surprising game of any Cyclone player. He had 14 points, including going 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. Throughout the first few minutes of the game, Bond III looked like the team's best player.
He made some big defensive plays, was able to drive to the basket with pride, and also kicked the ball out immensely well, finding open teammates often. While the last-second shot might have left a sour taste in fans' mouths, it doesn't take away from the fantastic opening game that he had.
Jan 10, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Taj Manning (15) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Most people were not super high on Taj Manning going into the year. He was a good role player for the Kansas State Wildcats last year, but with many great big men on the roster, most didn't see much of a role for Manning. That couldn't have been further from the truth.
Manning went 6-of-6 from the field, showcasing a lot of consistency as well as athleticism all game. He grabbed five rebounds, a solid stat. If he can not only rebound well but also prove his scoring ability, Manning could be dangerous for Iowa State off the bench.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as 3 Iowa State Basketball Standouts in Exhibition Loss to Creighton .
