ISU to Face St. John’s, Creighton in First Two Players Era Games

Story updated on 7/14/25 with new information on dates, times and locations.

LAS VEGAS – Iowa State's first two opponents for the Players Era Men's Championship in Las Vegas have been announced. Iowa State will take on St. John's and Creighton in its first two games, both teams that are ranked in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25. A third game will be played on Wednesday or Thursday against an opponent to be determined following the first two days of competition.

The first two games will be played at Michelob Ultra Arena, home of the two-time WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces, inside Mandalay Bay. The game on Wednesday or Thursday will be played at Michelob Ultra Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena. All games will air on TNT or truTV, while being streamed on HBO Max.

Iowa State will face St. John's at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Monday, Nov. 24. The Red Storm are ranked No. 5 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25. It will be the third all-time meeting between the two teams, having most recently played in 2022 as part of the Big 12-Big EAST Battle. Iowa State won the game in Hilton Coliseum 71-60. In the only other meeting, St. John's beat Iowa State 71-47 in 1948 in New York.

In the second game of the tournament, Iowa State will take on Creighton Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Bluejays are ranked No. 22 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. (CT). Iowa State holds a 17-15 advantage in the all-time series. The last time the two teams met was in 2021, a 64-58 Cyclone victory in Omaha. The Cyclones and Bluejays will also face each other in an exhibition game Oct. 17 in Omaha this season.

The third game of the tournament will be Wednesday, Nov. 26, or Thursday, Nov. 27. The championship and third-place games will be played at MGM Grand Garden Arena, with the championship game being at 8:30 p.m. (CT) and the third-place game at 6 p.m. (CT). The location and times for all other games on Wednesday and Thursday will be determined following play Tuesday night. The possible start times on Wednesday are 12 p.m. (CT), 2:30 p.m. (CT), 7 p.m. (CT), 9:30 p.m. (CT) or 11 p.m. (CT). The games on Thursday will tipoff at 1 p.m. (CT) and 3:30 p.m. (CT).

Tiebreakers for the pool play standings will be: 1) Head-to-head 2) Total Point Differential (each game capped at +/- 15) 3) Total Points Scored 4) Fewest Points Allowed 5) AP Ranking on Monday, Nov. 24.

Iowa State has played in four previous tournaments in Las Vegas, as well as facing UNLV in a road game in 1976. The Cyclones are 2-7 all-time in games played in Las Vegas.

Also joining Iowa State in the pool are No. 14 Auburn, Baylor, No. 8 Michigan, Oregon and San Diego State. No. 17 Alabama, No. 19 Gonzaga, No. 3 Houston, No. 21 Kansas, Maryland, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse and No. 23 Tennessee are in other pool. (All rankings from ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25, where Iowa State is No. 18).

2025-26 Iowa State Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Oct. 17 – at Creighton (Exhibition) – Omaha, Neb.
Oct. 26 – Northwestern (Exhibition) – Hilton Coliseum
Nov. 3 – Fairleigh Dickinson – Hilton Coliseum
Nov. 6 – Grambling State – Hilton Coliseum
Nov. 10 – vs. Mississippi State – Sioux Falls, S.D.
Nov. 17 – Stonehill – Hilton Coliseum
Nov. 24 – vs. St. John's (Players Era Men's Championship) – Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 25 – vs. Creighton (Players Era Men's Championship) – Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 26 or 27 – Players Era Men's Championship – Las Vegas, Nev.
Dec. 3 – Alcorn State – Hilton Coliseum
Dec. 6 – at Purdue – West Lafayette, Ind.
Dec. 11 – Iowa (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series) – Hilton Coliseum
Dec. 14 – Eastern Illinois – Hilton Coliseum
Dec. 21 – Long Beach State – Hilton Coliseum
Dec. 29 – Houston Christian – Hilton Coliseum

Iowa State University Athletics

ISU to Face St. John’s, Creighton in First Two Players Era Games

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