St. John’s vs. Iowa State: Players Era Championship Showdown Begins

The St. John’s men’s basketball team is set to face off against Iowa State in the Players Era Championship. This game, taking place on Monday, marks St. John’s first game outside New York City this season. The matchup will be held at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Game Details

Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch live on truTV, featuring commentary from Brian Anderson, Grant Hill, and Lauren Jbara. For radio coverage, tune in to the LEARFIELD Red Storm Sports Network. John Minko and Vin Parise will provide the play-by-play on various platforms, including the ESPN New York app and SiriusXM.

Historic Matchup

This game is significant as it represents St. John’s debut in Las Vegas and their participation in the inaugural Players Era Championship. Currently, St. John’s boasts a 3-1 record, while Iowa State remains undefeated at 4-0.

Offensive Standouts

Both teams are known for their high-scoring offenses. St. John’s ranks eighth nationally, averaging 98.5 points per game. Iowa State closely follows in 13th place, scoring an average of 95.5 points per game. Notably, St. John’s has exceeded 93 points in every game this season, setting a record for offensive performance within the program’s 119-year history.

Recent Performance

In their latest game, St. John’s defeated Bucknell 97-49. This win highlighted the team’s depth, with Bryce Hopkins and Ian Jackson each contributing 20 points. Hopkins secured his scoring with a 7-of-9 shooting performance, including hitting 3-of-4 from three-point range.

• Bryce Hopkins: 20 points, 7-of-9 shooting
• Ian Jackson: 20 points, 6-of-13 shooting
• Ruben Prey: 14 points, surpassing his previous career high
• Dillon Mitchell: Recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds

Player Highlights

Coaching staff has recognized Dillon Mitchell as the team’s third captain, joining Zuby Ejiofor and Sadiku Ibine Ayo. Earlier this week, Hopkins, Ejiofor, and Jackson were selected to the Preseason Top 50 Watch List for the Wooden Award, reflecting their national prominence.

Iowa State’s Key Players

Iowa State features standout performances as well. Senior guard Tamin Lipsey leads the Cyclones with 19.0 points and 5.3 assists per game. He also holds the program record for steals with 252. Other key contributors include:

• Joshua Jefferson: 18.8 points, 7.8 rebounds per game
• Milan Momcilovic: 15.3 points, shooting 43.3% from three-point range

Historical Context

This upcoming game is the third encounter between St. John’s and Iowa State. Their last meeting occurred during the 2022-23 season, where Iowa State won at home. The first matchup took place on December 21, 1948, with St. John’s winning decisively at Madison Square Garden.

Upcoming Schedule

Following the game against Iowa State, St. John’s will face Baylor on Tuesday at the same arena, also set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Red Storm looks to build on their impressive start and make a statement in this championship event.