Iowa State vs. Creighton Odds, Picks, and Prediction, Tuesday, November 25, 2025
On Tuesday, the No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones will play the No. 23 Creighton Blue Jays in a top-25 college basketball clash in the Players Era Festival, and we have you ready to go with our Iowa State vs. Creighton prediction, odds, and preview. Tip-off from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, is at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Iowa State is a 9.5-point favorite, and the total is 150.5.
These top-25 college hoops squads last played in 2021, a 64-58 Cyclones win. If you want the Iowa State vs. Creighton prediction, read on to get our top NCAAB predictions and increase your bankroll!
*Article published before the conclusion of Monday's games.
Sign Up for Winners and Whiners News Alerts, Get Free Picks and Discounts
Subscribe Now
Cyclones are a well-rounded basketball team
Iowa State (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS, and 3-1 O/U) played St. John's on Monday in its first Players Era Festival matchup. The Cyclones beat Fairleigh Dickinson (366th in the nation, per KenPom), Grambling State (287th), Mississippi State (70th), and Stonehill (332nd) in their previous games. ISU scores 95.5 points per game (69th) on 54.2 percent shooting (6th), including 35.6 percent from three-point range (123rd). Its opponents average 62.3 points (17th) on 42.1 percent shooting (140th), including 33.3 percent from deep (224th).
ISU was 25-10 last season, finishing 13-7 in Big 12 play. The Cyclones ranked as high as #2 in the nation, their highest ranking in program history, but were upset by Ole Miss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The 2025-26 squad is led by fifth-year coach T. J. Otzelberger, who has compiled a 97-45 record with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two trips to the Sweet 16. The Cyclones were picked to finish fifth in the Big 12's preseason poll.
Leading scorers Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert are gone, but there's returning talent in Ames. Iowa State had three players named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch lists, as senior Tamin Lipsey (19.0 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 3.8 SPG) was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List, junior Milan Momcilovic (15.3 PPG) was named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List, and senior Joshua Jefferson (18.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 4.3 APG) was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List. The trio is joined in the starting lineup by Virginia transfer Blake Buchanan (7.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 2.0 BPG) and true freshman Killyan Toure (9.3 PPG and 2.3 SPG). Senior guard Dominick Nelson is another player to watch (8.3 PPG).
Iowa State Cyclones Basketball Injury Report:
- No significant injuries to report.
Creighton has something to prove after bad loss to Gonzaga
Creighton (3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS, and 0-4 O/U) played Baylor on Monday in its first Players Era Festival matchup. The Bluejays beat South Dakota (289th), Maryland Eastern Shore (337th), and North Dakota (308th), but were walloped by Gonzaga (3rd) in their previous games. Creighton scores 78.5 points per game (249th) on 45.1 percent shooting (212th), including 27.0 percent from three-point range (338th). Its opponents average 67.8 points (54th) on 43.3 percent shooting (179th), including 29.3 percent from deep (91st).
Creighton went 25-11 last season, finishing second in the Big East with a 15-5 record in the regular season. They were a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Auburn in the second round. The Bluejays are led by head coach Greg McDermott, who has compiled a 351-171 record with ten NCAA tourney appearances (five straight years) in 16 seasons in Omaha. They have finished in the top four of the Big East standings nine seasons in a row, and were picked to finish third in the conference's preseason poll. The Bluejays lost several key players from last season's squad, most notably senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. Steven Ashworth, Pop Isaacs, and Jamiya Neal must also be replaced.
Creighton's rotation features a mix of transfers and returnees. Junior forward Jasen Green (8.3 PPG and 3.7 RPG is the longest tenured player on the roster. He has shot nearly 75 percent inside the arc in limited action and is expected to become more of an asset this season. McDermott did an excellent job filling needs in the portal, adding Iowa transfer forward Owen Freeman (10.8 PPG and 5.8 RPG), Iowa transfer guard Josh Dix (11.0 PPG), Charlotte transfer guard Nik Graves (10.8 PPG and 3.5 APG), and Howard transfer guard Blake Harper (13.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG). Junior forward Isaac Traudt (4.8 PPG in 15.0 MPG) is another returning player who will also play significant minutes for the Bluejays this season.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Creighton Bluejays Basketball Injury Report:
- Sophomore F Jackson McAndrew (6.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG in four games this season) will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury.
Iowa State vs. Creighton Pick and Preview
Spread Pick for Iowa State vs. Creighton
- Bluejays +9.5 (5 Units)
I see value in a bet on Creighton to cover the spread on Tuesday. Both teams have challenging matchups on Monday, but the Cyclones figure to be especially tired after playing a high-tempo, high-scoring Red Storm team. I also like Creighton's upside enough to wager that it can outperform its early-season stats. Freeman is a player capable of scoring 20-plus points in most games, and Dix and Graves are due for positive regression from beyond the arc. Dix shot over 40 percent from three last season, and Graves is much better than an 11 percent shooter from deep. ISU hasn't been a lockdown defensive team on the perimeter, either (224th in opponent 3PT%).
Over/Under Pick for Iowa State vs. Creighton
- Over 150.5 (5 Units)
As I mentioned in the spread pick analysis, I believe Creighton is more talented than it has played, as Freeman, Dix, and Graves are better than their first few performances suggest. If the Bluejays are competitive enough offensively to cover the spread, I anticipate that the over will be in play at 150.5.
Iowa State plays at a higher tempo than Creighton and isn't likely to be slowed down much. The Bluejays' defense is sub-par (84th in KenPom's defensive efficiency rating), as well. They really struggled defensively in their lone previous challenge, giving up 90 points on 53 percent shooting to Gonzaga. The Cyclones rank in the top-25 in offensive efficiency, as they're fourth in the nation in two-point percentage (65.8%). Without Kalkbrenner, the Bluejays' rim defense was bound to regress, but it's been worse than expected, as their opponents shoot 49% inside the arc and grab offensive rebounds 31 percent of the time.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Bet $5 & Get $150
