The puzzle pieces are continuing to come together for the 2025=26 Iowa State men’s basketball schedule.
The Cyclones learned on July 1 their first two opponents for the Players Era Men’s Championship event in Las Vegas. The Cyclones will open the tournament against St. John’s on Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m. CT, then play Creighton on Nov. 25 at 1:30 p.m. CT. Iowa State will play a third opponent on either Nov. 26 or Nov. 27, depending on the results of the first two days of the tournament.
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Both St. John’s and Creighton are entering the 2025-26 season with high expectations. Although official top 25 preseason polls will be released at a later date, St. John’s is ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 and the No. 1 team in the country according to CBS Sports’ Top 25 And 1 rankings. The Bluejays are No. 22 on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.
The Red Storm finished 31-5 last season, winning both the Big East regular-season and tournament titles. They were upset by Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in a 75-66 loss.
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As for Creighton, the Bluejays went 25-11 last season and finished as Big East Tournament runner-ups to St. John’s. Creighton lost to Auburn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to the No. 1-seeded Tigers, 82-70. Iowa State will also play Creighton in a preseason exhibition game on Oct. 17 in Omaha.
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This will be the second edition of the Players Era Festival. Last season, it debuted with eight teams in Las Vegas, but this year’s edition will feature an expanded field.
Auburn, Baylor, Michigan, Oregon and San Diego State are competing in the same pool in addition to Iowa State, Creighton and St. John’s.
Alabama, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Maryland, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee and UNLV are in another Player’s Era Festival pool. Saint Joseph’s was originally slated to compete, but was replaced by UNLV.
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Every participating team is guaranteed $1 million in NIL for playing in the event. Top-performing teams have an opportunity to earn additional NIL money and bonuses on top of that.
Iowa State men’s basketball 2025-26 non-conference schedule
Exact times and TV information will be released at another time.
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Oct. 17: at Creighton (exhibition)
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Oct. 26: vs. Northwestern (exhibition)
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Nov. 3: vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
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Nov. 6: vs. Grambling State
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Nov. 10: vs. Mississippi State (in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
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Nov. 24: vs. St. John’s (in Players Era Men’s Championship at Las Vegas)
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Nov. 25: vs. Creighton (in Players Era Men’s Championship at Las Vegas)
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Nov. 26 or 27: Player’s Era Men’s Championship finale in Las Vegas
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Dec. 14: vs. Eastern Illinois
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Dec. 21: vs. Long Beach State
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Dec. 29: vs. Houston Christian
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball schedule: Cyclones to play St. John’s, Creighton
