LAS VEGAS — What once felt like a meaningless layup by St. John's before the buzzer of Iowa State basketball's thrilling 83-82 win to begin the Players Era Festival ended up making all the difference once the point differentials were tallied.

Maybe it's that play, another near-miss or alternative scenario — whether it surrounds Iowa State or the other 17 teams that competed in Las Vegas — Cyclone fans choose to obsess over, but it won't soothe the disappointment of the Cyclones missing out on a spot to compete for bonus NIL money in the championship and third-place games.

See Full Page