Thanksgiving week means college basketball tournaments, and it’s hard to find a better field than the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas. Getting things started on Monday is a game between ranked teams as No. 14 St. John’s faces No. 16 Iowa State.
St. John’s has played a tougher schedule and has looked less consistent. However, the Red Storm should be ready for the Cyclones. My St. John’s vs. Iowa State predictions and college basketball picks have St. John’s covering the spread.
St. John’s vs Iowa State prediction
St. John’s vs Iowa State best bet: St. John's +2.5 (-110)
Each team has played three cupcake games and an SEC team. The Iowa State Cyclones looked elite in their power conference test, blowing out Mississippi State by 16, while the St. John’s Red Storm lost to Alabama.
Not all SEC teams are created equal, however, and neither are all cupcakes. Bama is rated No. 17 in the country in KenPom, while Mississippi State is No. 70. Iowa State’s win over the Bulldogs doesn’t qualify as a Quad I game for tournament selection purposes.
The other three opponents on Iowa State’s schedule are all ranked in the 300s in Torvik, while St. John’s blowout wins came against teams ranked in the 100s and 200s.
So, while the Red Storm have been less impressive, it’s come against a higher class of competition.
Iowa State is a veteran team that's played together for years, led by senior point guard Tamin Lipsey and big man Joshua Jefferson. Lipsey leads the country in steals, and the Cyclones are the top-ranked team in turnover rate on defense.
St. John’s plays fast but is generally safe with the ball. Turnovers haven’t been a major problem for the Red Storm, who have a deep roster of guards getting the ball to an imposing frontcourt, led by Big East player of the year Zuby Ejiofor.
Both teams shoot well on the inside and crash the boards. It could be shaping up to be a throwback game — hard and physical in the paint — instead of a 3-point shootout.
The star power is comparable at the top of the roster, but Iowa State falls off faster. With five scorers in double figures, St. John’s has more ways to hurt a team, which is why it’s our pick to cover getting 2.5 points.
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St. John’s vs Iowa State same-game parlay
The moneyline has been rising as people bet the Over. Both teams have been scoring in the 90s, but that will change against an elite defense, and both teams in this matchup play some of the best defense in the nation.
Despite their high point totals, both teams have gone Under 159.5 in half of their games this season, largely due to their stingy defense choking out opponents. Look for the game to be lower-scoring than most people are expecting.
St. John’s has been a slow-starting team. The Red Storm has increased its scoring in the second half in three of its four games — in the fourth, they scored the same in both halves.
St. John’s vs Iowa State SGP
- St. John's +2.5
- Under 159.5
- Iowa State first half -1.5
St. John’s vs Iowa State odds
- Spread: St. John’s +2.5 | Iowa State -2.5
- Moneyline: St. John’s +120 | Iowa State -140
- Over/Under: Over 159.5 | Under 159.5
St. John’s vs Iowa State betting trend to know
St. John's has covered the spread in 20 of its last 34 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for St. John’s vs. Iowa State.
How to watch St. John’s vs Iowa State
| Location | Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, NV |
| Date | Monday, November 24, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 4:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | truTV |
St. John’s vs Iowa State key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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