Iowa State and St. John's in Vegas for Top 25 battle originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
No. 15 Iowa State and No. 14 St. John’s meet Monday afternoon in a marquee early-season showdown in Las Vegas matching two programs coming off strong 2024-25 campaigns.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIowa State (4-0) enters averaging more than 80 points per game after finishing 25-10 last season, including 10-2 in non-conference play.
The Cyclones excel at generating offense through pressure, scoring 19.4 points per game off turnovers and nearly 12 on fast breaks. Their ability to attack the paint by averaging 37.3 points inside last year and remains a trademark for T.J. Otzelberger’s group.
St. John’s (3-1) has with one of the nation’s most balanced attacks. The Red Storm went 31-5 a year ago while posting 10 non-conference wins and ranking among the country’s most efficient passing teams. Behind 15.7 assists per game on 29.3 made field goals last season. Rick Pitino’s squad thrives on ball movement and depth.
The matchup pits Iowa State’s defensive pressure against St. John’s offensive, with the Cyclones as a favorite. We'll see if that stays true to the end.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOne of the first games in the Players Era Festival tips at 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV.
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