Local & Community
College Basketball's Biggest Thanksgiving Tournament Is Coming Back to Acrisure Arena
The Acrisure Series is returning to the Coachella Valley this Thanksgiving, bringing 26 Division I college basketball teams to Acrisure Arena for six straight days of games from November 21 through 26.
Organizers call it the country's biggest Thanksgiving week college basketball event, and this year's lineup includes big names like LSU, USC, Stanford, South Carolina and Arizona State. Fans can expect marquee matchups throughout the week, including Stanford vs. Colorado, USC vs. South Carolina, and Arizona State vs. LSU, plus three games on Thanksgiving Day itself: Utah State vs. USC, SMU vs. LSU, and South Carolina vs. Arizona State.
"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. He said the six-day event gives players, coaches and fans a big experience while helping establish Greater Palm Springs as a go-to destination for Thanksgiving basketball.
"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," said Scott White, President and CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs.
Here's the full schedule:
2026 Acrisure Series Schedule
Saturday, November 21
11 a.m. — Fordham vs. Portland
1:30 p.m. — UC Irvine vs. San Diego
4 p.m. — California Baptist vs. Loyola Marymount
Sunday, November 22
11 a.m. — San Diego vs. Fordham
1:30 p.m. — UC Irvine vs. Loyola Marymount
4 p.m. — California Baptist vs. Portland
6:30 p.m. — Seattle vs. UC San Diego
9 p.m. — San José State vs. Loyola Chicago
Monday, November 23
11 a.m. — Tulsa vs. Oregon State
1:30 p.m. — Nevada vs. San Francisco
4 p.m. — Illinois State vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. — Pod 4 Championship
9 p.m. — Pod 4 Third-Place Game
Tuesday, November 24
11 a.m. — Oregon State vs. San Francisco
1:30 p.m. — Tulsa vs. Illinois State
4 p.m. — Nevada vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. — Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis
9 p.m. — Stanford vs. Colorado
Wednesday, November 25
11 a.m. — Arizona State vs. LSU
1:30 p.m. — USC vs. South Carolina
4 p.m. — SMU vs. Utah State
6:30 p.m. — Pod 2 Championship
9 p.m. — Pod 2 Third-Place Game
Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving)
11 a.m. — South Carolina vs. Arizona State
1:30 p.m. — Utah State vs. USC
4 p.m. — SMU vs. LSU
Tickets start at $25 plus fees and go on sale Saturday, August 8 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster or the Ticketmaster Box Office at Acrisure Arena. Acrisure Arena club members get early access to presale tickets starting today.
By: Harrison Bluto
August 6, 2026
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