The following is a press release from Iowa State Athletics Communications:
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State men’s basketball team will face Northwestern in its second exhibition game of the season on Sunday, Oct. 26, at Hilton Coliseum. It will be the first in a home and home exhibition game, as the two teams will meet in Evanston, Ill. in Oct. 2026.
The exhibition game will be the first in Hilton Coliseum for the men’s program since 2017, when the Cyclones beat Emporia State 77-68. Iowa State will open the preseason slate the week prior with an exhibition game at Creighton on Friday, Oct. 17. This will mark the first time the Cyclones have played two exhibition games in a season since 2009 when Iowa State beat Black Hills State (96-47) and UNC Pembroke (106-54).
While this game will not count in the regular season record, the two teams are even 1-1 in the all-time series. Iowa State beat Northwestern 64-54 in Ames in 1949, while the Wildcats beat the Cyclones 67-65 in the championship game of the 2009 Chicago Invitational.
The Cyclones are coming off a 25-10 campaign in 2024-25 with a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats went 17-16, ending the season in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. In ESPN’s Way Too Early Top 25, the Cyclones are ranked No. 13.
Tipoff and TV designation will be announced at a later time. Tickets to the game will be part of the 2025-26 season ticket package, with more details available later this summer.
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