No. 18 Cyclones edged by Tigers 80-76

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A valiant second-half effort fell just short for No. 18 Iowa State on Monday night as the Cyclones dropped their season opener 80-76 to Memphis at the Sanford Pentagon.

Despite a dominant performance from Iowa State’s bench and a decisive advantage inside the paint, Memphis leveraged strong perimeter shooting and key late-game execution to pull away in a tightly contested battle featuring 12 lead changes and 11 ties.

The Cyclones remained competitive throughout the contest largely due to a massive spark from their reserve unit, which outscored the Tigers’ bench 38-13. Ryan Prather Jr. spearheaded Iowa State’s offensive effort off the bench with a team-high 19 points while…