Rick Pitino is looking forward to the competition that Iowa State brings. “I think Iowa State is as difficult to play against as any team in basketball,” Pitino said. “Their defensive rebounding is relentless; they’re very physical. It’s great for us to play against this type of competition.”

The packed Players Era men’s championship at Las Vegas will have an intense battle between two contenders on the opening day. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger. Otzelberger was the UNLV head coach for two seasons before moving to Iowa State in 2021. However, he maintained, this visit was strictly business. 

“Even though I lived there for a few years, this is not, ‘Let’s catch up and yuck it up with friends,'” Otzelberger said. “We’re going there for very specific business, to play well, come out with the wins, and do what’s best for our program. Great to be there, but the focus is on the games and that starts with St. John’s on Monday.” As the two competitors prepare to go up against each other, let’s look at a cursory match preview. That includes the injury reports, where to watch, and projected line-ups. 

St. John’s vs Iowa State: Injury Report

Freshman forward Imran Suljanovic (knee) is out for the entire 2025‑26 season after dislocating his patella in practice and undergoing surgery. Apart from Imran, St John’s has a complete roster with their key pieces in place for Rick Pitino. For Iowa State, there are no injuries, and their report remains clear. 

Projected Starting Lineups

St. John’s

Bryce Hopkins 

Zuby Ejofor 

Joson Sanon 

Dillon Mitchell 

Ozyiah Sellers

Iowa State

Tamin Lipsey 

Joshua Jefferson 

Milan Momcilovic 

Killyan Toure

Blake Buchanan 

How To Watch St. John’s vs Iowa State?

Date: Monday, November 24, 2025, 4:30 ET

Location: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, NV

TV: truTV/HBO Max

Streaming: FUBO, DirecTV 

St. John’s vs Iowa State Preview And Prediction

Rick Pitino’s team went 1-2 during Feast Week last season, but they are in a different mode this time around. The new-look Johnnies are clicking on all cylinders heading into Vegas, winning 3 games while losing against their only ranked opponent in Alabama. On the other hand, Iowa State is 4-0 and facing its first-ranked opponent of the season. The Cyclones defeated Mississippi State 96-80 in their last match-up. Let’s look at how each of the aspects matches up head-to-head between these two teams. 

For the Red Storm, Bryce Hopkins will be one to watch out for as he is averaging 15.5 points, coming into this matchup. The Red Storm has variety in scoring as Zuby Ejiofor has averaged 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds, while North Carolina transfer Ian Jackson adds 14.5 points. They have Joson Sanon and Jason Mitchell averaging in double digits as well. 

Iowa is more top-heavy with Tamin Lipsey (19.0 points), Joshua Jefferson (18.8 points, 7.8 rebounds), and Milan Momcilovic (15.3 points). Lipsey and Jefferson have produced 156 points on their own, which is 40.8% of the total points. If St. John’s can limit those two, Iowa’s offensive capability is severely hampered. 

For Iowa, Otzelberger’s disruptive style means they will look to capitalise on turnovers. The game will depend on whether Iowa can neutralise Pitino’s pacy style of basketball with its defense. Pitino’s side comes into this game ranking 9th in the country in pace of play. It will be a game of cat and mouse where St John’s will look to overwhelm Iowa. And Iowa will want to slow the game down. ESPN analytics prefer Iowa State with a 61.3% chance for the win according to their matchup predictor. St.John’s needs to prove their mettle against a ranked opponent to grab a win.