Success at Players Era Festival Proves This Key Thing About Iowa State Cyclones

Should the Iowa State Cyclones be considered a top team in the country?

Nov 24, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger reacts against the St. John's Red Storm in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game at Michelob Ultra Arena. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to have a strong showing in the Players Era Festival, proving that they can be one of the best teams in the country. 

Prior to coming to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival, the Cyclones didn’t play the most challenging schedule, and there was some criticism about how good the team might actually be. The numbers in their four wins prior were impressive, but the best team that they had played was the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 

While they were able to handle their business in that game, it was understandable not to know what to expect from the team coming into Las Vegas. They were tested right out of the gate in what ended up being one of the best games of the tournament against the St. John’s Red Storm. 

Iowa State was able to come away with a one-point victory against the talented team from the Big East. The Red Storm has been considered to be one of the better teams in the country, and the victory for the Cyclones was a statement to not only the Big 12 but the rest of the country. 

Iowa State Proves They are a Contender

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While the win against the Red Storm was their signature win of the tournament, this was a team that was extremely impressive overall. While they didn’t get a chance to compete for the title due to the odd tournament rules, they were able to dismantle both the Creighton Bluejays and the Syracuse Orange. 

Furthermore, what made those two victories even more impressive was the fact that they did it without their star guard, Tamin Lipsey. Without Lipsey, the depth of the program really rose to the top with players stepping up and making an impact. 

With the Players Era now in the rearview mirror, the program has proven that they are going to be a force to be reckoned with. The Big 12 is shaping up to be one of the best conferences in college basketball, and there were a lot of talented teams from the conference in Las Vegas as well. 

Winning the conference will be a challenge for the Cyclones, but it is one that they are capable of achieving. This is a team that features one of the best defenses in the country and an offense that is seemingly much improved. Even though they were fine without Lipsey, getting their senior guard back and healthy will be key. After the strong showing in Vegas, the program has proven that they are a contender.