One Bold Prediction for Iowa State Basketball vs. Southern Miss

Here is one bold prediction for the Iowa State Cyclones ahead of their matchup against Southern Miss.

Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger speaks with the media during the university’s men’s basketball media day at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. (Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune, USA TODAY Network) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As the Iowa State Cyclones get set to play Southern Miss, they will be hoping to bounce back in a big way following a loss to the Memphis Tigers. 

With a lot of talent and some high expectations coming into the year, the Cyclones did not get off to the start that they would have liked to the season. Iowa State was a team that made it to the Sweet 16 last year. If not for an injury to Joshua Jefferson in the opening minutes of the NCAA Tournament, perhaps they could have gone further. 

Compared to last year, this is a much different-looking group. Iowa State lost multiple rotation players, and it was not until just recently that Tamin Lipsey shockingly was able to return to the program. 

With all of the new faces, it is going to take some time for this unit to gel on both ends of the court. However, Friday should present them with a golden opportunity to get things going in the right direction. Here is one bold prediction for the game.  

One Bold Prediction

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Dominykas Pleta (21) looks to pass in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In a game that the Cyclones should win rather easily, it will be interesting to see how the team responds following the loss. T.J. Otzelberger will surely be hoping to see an improved defensive team on Friday night. 

Even though Memphis plays with a good pace, the Cyclones allowing 80 points is something that is not going to sit well with the coach. However, even though the team lost, there were some bright spots offensively. 

Without a doubt, one of the top ones was the play of Dominykas Pleta. The sophomore center is a player that the team is hoping will take a step forward, and based on the first game of the season, he has. 

Pleta came off the bench and scored 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the field in just 11 minutes. It was a new career-high for the sophomore center and a very encouraging sign for the team going forward. 

While Pleta isn’t going to be taking the starting spot of Blake Buchanan anytime soon, he might be able to work his way into some more minutes with that type of production. 

Having depth and a backup big man like Pleta can be a major luxury, and he could end up being a major strength for the team.

With this game expected to be a blowout, the bold prediction for Friday is that he will lead the team in scoring off the bench.