Anteaters Compete in Acrisure Series College Basketball Thanksgiving Event
August 06, 2026 | Men's Basketball
GREATER PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (August 6, 2026) – The 2026 Acrisure Series, the nation's premier Thanksgiving college basketball event, returns to the Coachella Valley this November over six days at Acrisure Arena from November 21-26, 2026. The 2026 Acrisure Series is presented by Acrisure, Visit Greater Palm Springs and Spotlight 29 Casino.
The 2026 field features one of the deepest collections of programs assembled anywhere in the country during Thanksgiving week, the largest "MTE" in NCAA men's basketball history, including Power 4 programs Arizona State, Colorado, LSU, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, and USC.
The Anteaters play two games at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs as part of The Acrisure Series tournament:
"The Acrisure Series has become one of the premier events in college basketball, and we believe this year's field is the strongest we've assembled," said Dan Shell, President of Total Sports Consulting and Co-Tournament Director. "Bringing together 26 outstanding programs for six consecutive days creates an incredible experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans while continuing to establish Greater Palm Springs as one of the country's premier destinations for Thanksgiving college basketball. We are grateful to Acrisure, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Spotlight 29 Casino, Acrisure Arena and all of our partners for helping make this event possible."
Tickets for the 2026 Acrisure Series Thanksgiving Event go on sale Saturday, August 8 at 10:00 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena, and are also available at the Ticketmaster Box Office at Acrisure Arena. Exclusive presale opportunities for Acrisure Arena club members begin today.
"Sponsoring the Acrisure Series reflects our continued commitment to excellence, community engagement and creating memorable experiences," said Greg Williams, Chairman and CEO of Acrisure. "This event showcases elite collegiate basketball while bringing thousands of visitors to the Coachella Valley and continuing to elevate Acrisure Arena as one of the nation's premier destinations for major sporting events."
"The Acrisure Series has become one of the signature sporting events in Greater Palm Springs," said Scott White, President & CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs. "Each November we welcome thousands of alumni, fans, families, and visitors from across the country, generating significant economic impact while showcasing everything our destination has to offer. We're excited to welcome another outstanding field this Thanksgiving."
"The Tribe has always believed in supporting events that strengthen our community and bring visitors to the Coachella Valley," said Darrell Mike, Chairman of Spotlight 29 Casino. "We're proud to continue our partnership with the Acrisure Series and help make Greater Palm Springs one of the premier destinations for college basketball."
1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. San Diego
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Loyola Marymount
1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. Loyola Marymount
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Portland
6:30 p.m. PT – Seattle vs. UC San Diego
9:00 p.m. PT – San José State vs. Loyola Chicago
1:30 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. San Francisco
4:00 p.m. PT – Illinois State vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Third-Place Game
1:30 p.m. PT – Tulsa vs. Illinois State
4:00 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis
9:00 p.m. PT – Stanford vs. Colorado
1:30 p.m. PT – USC vs. South Carolina
4:00 p.m. PT – Arizona State vs. LSU
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Third-Place Game
1:30 p.m. PT – SMU vs. LSU
4:00 p.m. PT – South Carolina vs. Arizona State
JW Marriott: https://book.passkey.com/e/51259928Media Credential Requests
Jake Thau, Event Operations / jake.thau@totalsportsconsulting.com
Natalie D'Anna, Media Relations / natalie.danna@totalsportsconsulting.com
Evan Pivnick, Director, Broadcast & Communications / Acrisure Arena / epivnick@cvfirebirds.com
X: @AcrisureSeries
The 2026 field features one of the deepest collections of programs assembled anywhere in the country during Thanksgiving week, the largest "MTE" in NCAA men's basketball history, including Power 4 programs Arizona State, Colorado, LSU, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, and USC.
The Anteaters play two games at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs as part of The Acrisure Series tournament:
- Saturday, November 21 vs. San Diego - 1:30 p.m.
- Sunday, November 22 vs. LMU - 11:00 a.m.
"The Acrisure Series has become one of the premier events in college basketball, and we believe this year's field is the strongest we've assembled," said Dan Shell, President of Total Sports Consulting and Co-Tournament Director. "Bringing together 26 outstanding programs for six consecutive days creates an incredible experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans while continuing to establish Greater Palm Springs as one of the country's premier destinations for Thanksgiving college basketball. We are grateful to Acrisure, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Spotlight 29 Casino, Acrisure Arena and all of our partners for helping make this event possible."
Tickets for the 2026 Acrisure Series Thanksgiving Event go on sale Saturday, August 8 at 10:00 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena, and are also available at the Ticketmaster Box Office at Acrisure Arena. Exclusive presale opportunities for Acrisure Arena club members begin today.
"Sponsoring the Acrisure Series reflects our continued commitment to excellence, community engagement and creating memorable experiences," said Greg Williams, Chairman and CEO of Acrisure. "This event showcases elite collegiate basketball while bringing thousands of visitors to the Coachella Valley and continuing to elevate Acrisure Arena as one of the nation's premier destinations for major sporting events."
"The Acrisure Series has become one of the signature sporting events in Greater Palm Springs," said Scott White, President & CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs. "Each November we welcome thousands of alumni, fans, families, and visitors from across the country, generating significant economic impact while showcasing everything our destination has to offer. We're excited to welcome another outstanding field this Thanksgiving."
"The Tribe has always believed in supporting events that strengthen our community and bring visitors to the Coachella Valley," said Darrell Mike, Chairman of Spotlight 29 Casino. "We're proud to continue our partnership with the Acrisure Series and help make Greater Palm Springs one of the premier destinations for college basketball."
2026 Acrisure Series Event Schedule
Saturday, November 21
11:00 a.m. PT – Fordham vs. Portland1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. San Diego
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Loyola Marymount
Sunday, November 22
11:00 a.m. PT – San Diego vs. Fordham1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. Loyola Marymount
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Portland
6:30 p.m. PT – Seattle vs. UC San Diego
9:00 p.m. PT – San José State vs. Loyola Chicago
Monday, November 23
11:00 a.m. PT – Tulsa vs. Oregon State1:30 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. San Francisco
4:00 p.m. PT – Illinois State vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Third-Place Game
Tuesday, November 24
11:00 a.m. PT – Oregon State vs. San Francisco1:30 p.m. PT – Tulsa vs. Illinois State
4:00 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis
9:00 p.m. PT – Stanford vs. Colorado
Wednesday, November 25
11:00 a.m. PT – SMU vs. Utah State1:30 p.m. PT – USC vs. South Carolina
4:00 p.m. PT – Arizona State vs. LSU
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Third-Place Game
Thursday, November 26
11:00 a.m. PT – Utah State vs. USC1:30 p.m. PT – SMU vs. LSU
4:00 p.m. PT – South Carolina vs. Arizona State
Ticket Information
Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena. Tickets will also be available at the Ticketmaster Box Office at Acrisure Arena. Premium hospitality options, courtside seating, suites, and group sales opportunities will also be available.Partner Hotel Information
Fans traveling to Palm Springs for the 2026 Acrisure Series Christmas Event can now book official partner hotel accommodations at both La Quinta Resort & Club and JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. Both properties serve as premier host hotels for the Acrisure Series and provide fans, alumni, donors, and supporters with a first-class Palm Springs experience throughout the event weekend. These partner hotels are also where participating teams stay, creating a unique opportunity for fans to stay with the teams and be part of the full event atmosphere. Special fan rates are now available through the official booking links attached here, allowing guests to secure preferred pricing while staying at two of the top resort destinations in the Coachella Valley. With luxury accommodations, premium amenities, and close proximity to Acrisure Arena, both properties offer the ideal home base for the weekend.Partner Hotel Fan Rate Links
La Quinta: https://book.passkey.com/go/ThanksgivingFanRateJW Marriott: https://book.passkey.com/e/51259928
Media Credential Requests
If you or someone from your outlet or organization would like to request credentials for this event, please fill out the form HERE.
About Acrisure Arena
Opened in December 2022, Acrisure Arena provides the greater Palm Springs area with a premier 11,000+ capacity venue hosting the biggest artists, sporting events, and entertainment experiences in the region. The arena also serves as the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken and the Coachella Valley Lakers, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers.About Total Sports Consulting
Total Sports Consulting (TSC) is a premier sports event management and consulting company specializing in the creation, operation, and commercialization of high-level collegiate basketball events across the country. TSC works directly with universities, conferences, arenas, broadcast partners, and corporate sponsors to develop and execute nationally recognized neutral-site games, multi-team events, holiday showcases, and championship-level experiences. The company oversees every aspect of event strategy and execution, including scheduling, television partnerships, sponsorship sales, venue operations, team logistics, hospitality, ticketing, and on-site management. TSC also specializes in revenue generation projects for athletic departments, including multimedia rights, naming rights, NIL solutions, coaching representation, and other large-scale sponsorship initiatives. From concept to final buzzer, TSC is focused on delivering first-class events that create value for schools, partners, and fans while continuing to elevate college basketball on a national stage. For more information, visit totalsportsconsulting.com.Event & Media Contacts
Chris Spencer, Tournament Director / chrisbbpromotion@aol.comJake Thau, Event Operations / jake.thau@totalsportsconsulting.com
Natalie D'Anna, Media Relations / natalie.danna@totalsportsconsulting.com
Evan Pivnick, Director, Broadcast & Communications / Acrisure Arena / epivnick@cvfirebirds.com
Follow on Social Media
Instagram: @AcrisureSeriesX: @AcrisureSeries
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