Iowa State Basketball Will Host Big 12 Contender in Conference Opener

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to be challenged right away with their Big 12 schedule.

Mar 13, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) collides with Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team once again looks like it will be among the contenders in the Big 12.

There are a lot of great teams in the conference, and the Cyclones are going to be challenged right away with their conference schedule. As shared by the official Iowa State Men’s Basketball account on X, they will be hosting the Arizona Wildcats at Hilton Coliseum on Jan. 2.

This is massive news because the Wildcats are once again projected to be the best team in the conference. They will assuredly start the season in the top 25 and will more than likely be a top-five team in the country.

When facing off against an opponent that good, a team wants to be at full strength. That may not be the case for the Cyclones, who are going to be patiently awaiting the return of Killyan Toure to the lineup.

Iowa State will start Big 12 slate against Arizona

Mar 13, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Killyan Toure (27) drives to the basket around Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After suffering a shoulder injury this summer that required surgery, the sophomore guard was given a projected timeline to return to play in January. Getting him healthy and available for conference play is assuredly one of the goals of his and the program, and it would certainly be nice to have him in the lineup against such a tough opponent.

Last season, Iowa State faced Arizona twice; once in the regular season and once in the Big 12 tournament. The regular season game was held in Tucson and did not go well for the Cyclones, who were run out of the McKale Center, losing 73-57.

In the Big 12 tournament, the game was much more competitive. Iowa State actually led for large portions of the game, but ended up losing 82-80 when Jaden Bradley made a shot at the buzzer to send the Wildcats into the championship game against the Houston Cougars, which they won 79-74.

We'll open Big 12 play January 2 against the Arizona Wildcats inside James H. Hilton Coliseum.#Cyclones | #C5C https://t.co/cwFJ80KWzT

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) September 15, 2026

There are going to be a lot of new faces on the court when the two Big 12 contenders face off at Hilton Coliseum. Both programs lost key contributors from last season’s team to the NBA draft and graduation, but each of them is projected to still have plenty of talent to succeed on the hardwood this winter.

Arizona is one of six teams that the Cyclones will be facing only once this season and will host them, based on the men’s college basketball matrix that was revealed. The BYU Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats, Kansas State Wildcats, TCU Horned Frogs and Utah Utes are the others.