Iowa State Basketball Players Era Festival Schedule Revealed

The Iowa State Cyclones will face some stiff competition at the Players Era Festival this season.

Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; TNT Sports reporter Autumn Johnson (right) interviews Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger after a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game against the Creighton Bluejays at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the second consecutive year, the No. 18 Iowa State Cyclones are set to participate in the Players Era Festival, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the week of Thanksgiving.

Last year, this tournament was a coming-out party for the Cyclones. They pulled off a thrilling victory over the St. John’s Red Storm before blowing out the Creighton Bluejays and Syracuse Orange, the final two victories of which came without Tamin Lipsey in the lineup.

Despite their strong showing, they didn’t do enough to advance to the big money portion of the tournament, playing in a consolation game. That will change this year, with two brackets being held: the Players Era 8 and the Players Era 16.

Iowa State is in the Players Era 16 field and has known who their opponent will be for a while. They will take on the San Diego State Aztecs on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT.

Iowa State could have NCAA tournament rematch at Players Era Festival

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Dominykas Pleta (21) and Tennessee Volunteers forward DeWayne Brown II (6) chase after a loose ball in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, the Cyclones know who they will match up against throughout the tournament, with each team being guaranteed at least three games. In the other matchup in their pod are the Tennessee Volunteers, who eliminated Iowa State from the 2026 NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16, facing off against the Maryland Terrapins.

If they lose to San Diego State, they play a consolation game at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT on Thanksgiving. On the consolation side of the bracket, a Fifth Place or Seventh Place Game would be played on Friday, Nov. 27 at either 11:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT or 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT.

Should the Cyclones defeat the Aztecs and move into the semifinals, they would face the winner of the Volunteers and Terrapins on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT.

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— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) October 19, 2026

Whoever comes away victorious in that semifinal game would play in the Championship, set for Friday, Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. The semifinal game loser would play in a Third Place game, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT on Nov. 27 as well.

The winner of the Michelob Ultra Arena bracket will face the winner of the T-Mobile Arena bracket for the Players Era 16 championship, which is set for Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT.

This is a loaded field, with the T-Mobile Arena bracket also featuring its Big 12 rivals, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the Louisville Cardinals, St. John’s Red Storm and the Oregon Ducks.