bDG Sports Release

IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine's mens basketball team will participate in the Ball Dawgs Classic at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada from Nov. 21-24 bDG Sports announced Tuesday morning.

The Anteaters are one of six teams on the men's side and are joined by Indiana State (MVC), New Mexico (Mountain West), Pepperdine (WCC), Rice (American), and Toledo (MAC). 

UCI was drawn to compete against Pepperdine (Nov. 21), Toldeo (Nov. 22), and will close the week with Rice on Nov. 24.

Five of the squads in the tournament field appeared in the 2023 postseason. New Mexico and Toledo joined UC Irvine in first round competition of the NIT while Indiana State and Rice both made it to the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).

This will be UCI's second consecutive Thanksgiving tournament in Las Vegas, returning to Irvine as the 2022 Las Vegas Holiday Classic Champions.

Tickets for the event will go on-sale on July 21 at 10 a.m. PT at www.thedollarloancenter.com and www.axs.com. Full event information can be found at www.balldawgsclassic.com.