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USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Maui Invitational 2025: NC State, Texas highlight 8-team men's college basketball field
One of the most iconic multi-team events in men's college basketball now has its field set for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Arizona State, Boise State, NC State, Seton Hall, Texas, USC, Washington State and Chaminade will compete in the 2025 Maui Invitational, the event announced on July 29. The tournament will take place at the Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, Hawaii from November 24-26, ending at its usual time right before Thanksgiving. REQUIRED READING: Charlie Baker doubts NCAA basketball tournament expansion can happen for 2025-26 season Only one of the seven Division I teams in the event, Texas, made the NCAA tournament last season (Chaminade, a Honolulu school that takes part in the tournament in odd-numbered years, competes at the Division II level). Several of the participants could be significantly better in 2025-26. NC State will be entering its first season under coach Will Wade, who restocked the Wolfpack's roster with one of the top-rated transfer classes in the sport. After two underwhelming seasons under Rodney Terry, Texas hired Sean Miller away from Xavier. USC will be entering its second season under coach Eric Musselman, who signed a top-10 transfer class and a five-star freshman in Alijah Arenas (who will be out six to eight months with a knee injury). Boise State has won 99 games and made three NCAA tournaments over the past four seasons. While the Maui Invitational has long been one of the most popular and prestigious early season tournaments in college basketball, there's an open question of how long it can remain that in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics. Last year marked the debut of the Players Era Festival, a Thanksgiving week tournament in Las Vegas that gives each participating team $1 million in name, image and likeness opportunities. This year's field for the 18-team event includes Houston, Kansas, Alabama, Auburn, St. John's, Michigan, Iowa State, Gonzaga and Creighton, among others, all of which are widely projected as top-25 teams entering the season. After his team surprisingly went winless in its three games in the Maui Invitational last year, UConn coach Dan Hurley voiced his frustrations with the event. "I'm not doing another three-game MTE again," Hurley said. "Moving forward, we will only play home-and-homes and single-game events in big-time arenas. I don't think I'll ever do a three-game MTE again." Maui Invitational teams 2025 Here's a look at the eight teams that will be taking part in the 2025 Maui Invitational: REQUIRED READING: College sports bill moving to House floor in Congress after passing committee votes Maui Invitational schedule 2025 Here are the matchups for the 2025 Maui Invitational: All times Eastern
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Players Era 2025: Schedule announced for NIL-driven Players Era Men's Championship
Las Vegas will once again be the place to be during Feast Week this college basketball season. Coined "November Mania," the Players Era Men's Championship announced its schedule for the newly expanded 18-team men's basketball NIL multi-team event in November in Las Vegas on July 14, and to no surprise, it's quite loaded. Then called the Players Era Festival, the NIL-driven event by storm last season and has quickly become a must-play event with NCAA Tournament caliber teams, so much so that teams paid their way out of already scheduled multi-team events to participate in it last season. Headlining the first two days of competition in Las Vegas is Gonzaga vs. Alabama on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Preceding the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide on Nov. 25 is St. John's vs. Iowa State, two teams that are notoriously known for their defense under Rick Pitino and T.J. Otzelberger. REQURIED READING: College basketball too-early Top 25 rankings after transfer portal, NBA draft Day 2 of the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship field is headlined by an Elite Eight rematch of Houston vs. Tennessee and then Iowa State vs. Creighton, two teams that were already scheduled to meet in October for an exhibition. The 2025 Players Era Men's Championship field includes 14 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, and nine teams — Auburn, Houston, St. John's, Alabama, Iowa State, Maryland, Oregon and Michigan — that were seeded at least a five seed or higher in the field of 68. Eleven teams that appear in the USA TODAY Sports too-early top 25 poll will also compete in Las Vegas. The four-day multi-team event will take place in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena from Monday, Nov. 24 through Thursday, Nov. 27 with the championship game taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 26. There will also be a four-team Players Era Women's Championship featuring South Carolina, UCLA, Texas and Duke that will take place Wednesday, Nov. 26 and Thursday, Nov. 27 in Las Vegas. Here's what to know from the July 14 announcement of the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship: Players Era Championship bracket 2025 The returning teams to the Players Era Festival include Alabama, Houston, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Oregon, San Diego State and Creighton. The only team that isn't returning to the Players Era Championship from last year's field, which Oregon won, is Texas A&M. The Aggies were replaced in the field by Maryland, which hired away Buzz Williams from Texas A&M this offseason. Here's a full breakdown of who is competing in the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship: Players Era Festival 2025 schedule Here's a look at schedule for the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship, which will take place MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas: Monday, Nov. 24 Tuesday, Nov. 25 Wednesday, Nov. 26 Note: For those that didn't make the championship or third place game on Wednesday, November 26, they will play in consolation games across Wednesday, November 26 and Thursday, November 27 in Las Vegas What is the Players Era Championshop? The Players Era Championship is a one-of-a-kind multi-team event that takes place during "Feast Week" of the college basketball season in November, during Thanksgiving week. Debuted during the 2024-25 season with an eight-team field, The Players Era Championship is a NIL-driven multi-team event with some of the best college basketball teams in the country. Each team will receive $1 million for participating in the event, while players and teams will have the opportunity to earn more NIL while in Las Vegas. The champion of the Players Era Championship will win an additional $1 million in NIL earnings as well. Noted by CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, the total pot for the 2025 Players Era Championship will be north of $20 million in NIL-related earnings — quite the expensive multi-team event and regular season showcase event.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Will Latrell Wrightsell Jr. be ready to start 2025-26 season for Alabama basketball? What Nate Oats said
Starting the season isn't guaranteed for Alabama basketball guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. According to a report by Jon Rothstein, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said that the returning veteran "has still not been cleared for all basketball related activities, but hopes to be available for the start of the 2025-26 season." Advertisement NEW BLOOD: Four-star prospect Chris Washington Jr. schedules another visit with Alabama basketball REQUIRED READING: Alabama basketball's Latrell Wrightsell Jr granted redshirt, but what was the delay? Alabama basketball's Latrell Wrightsell Jr. not cleared for 'all basketball related activities,' but still coming along Before Wrightsell tore his Achilles tendon at the Players Era Festival last November, he was averaging 11.5 points per game. On June 23, Alabama announced the Wrightsell was granted his medical redshirt by the NCAA. Despite the news that Wrightsell might not be good to go for every drill or activity, teammates like freshman Amari Allen have been optimistic about the graduate's progress. Just a couple days after being approved for his redshirt, a video of Wrightsell appearing to make 10 three-pointers in a row during offseason workouts went viral. Advertisement Alabama's complete non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season has yet to be announced. However, the first confirmed game on the docket is Nov. 8 against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@ This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Will Latrell Wrightsell Jr. start for Alabama basketball in 2025-26? What Nate Oats said
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dates announced for Alabama men's and women's basketball in SEC/ACC Challenge
The date for Alabama basketball's meeting with Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge has been set. ESPN announced that the Crimson Tide and the Tigers will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Coleman Coliseum will be the venue for the teams' first time meeting since Alabama punched its ticket to a historic Final Four in 2024. The game is also a rematch of the inaugural SEC/ACC Challenge in 2023, which Clemson won 85-77. In 2025, Clemson was bounced from the NCAA Tournament by McNeese State — a mid-major that Alabama took down 72-64 on its way to the Elite Eight — and finished the season 27-7 with an 18-2 record in league play. Advertisement Clemson will also be the opponent for Alabama women's basketball. The game is set for Thursday, Dec. 4 in Coleman. Start times and programming will be announced at a later date, according to ESPN. LINK ACADFEMY ALUMS: Davion Hannah and Labaron Philon to bring 'old school feel' to Alabama basketball MEET THE NEW GUYS: Why Taylor Bol Bowen wanted to play for Alabama basketball assistant Preston Murphy again Nate Oats working towards putting together country's toughest schedule again for Alabama basketball Nov 20, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama guard Aden Holloway (2) hits a three as he is fouled from behind by Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) in the CM Newton Classic at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News Here's a look at the Crimson Tide's non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season as of now. Nov. 8: at St. John's in Madison Square Garden Nov. 13: vs. Purdue Nov. 19: vs. Illinois at United Center (Chicago) Nov. 26-30: Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nev. Dec. 3: vs. Clemson in SEC/ACC Challenge Dec. 7: vs. UTSA Dec. 13: vs. Arizona in C.M. Newton Classic Dec. 21: vs. Kennesaw State at Propst Arena in Huntsville vs. North Dakota − date has yet to be confirmed vs. Yale − reported by Jon Rothstein, date has yet to be confirmed vs. USF − date has yet to be confirmed Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@ Advertisement This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Dates announced for Alabama men's and women's basketball in SEC/ACC Challenge
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Alabama lands in updated USA TODAY Sports early Top 25 college basketball rankings
Alabama basketball hasn't exactly had a dull offseason. The Crimson Tide's nonconference scheduling announcements alone have been noteworthy. Alabama will face marquee programs like Illinois (at United Center in Chicago), St. John's at Madison Square Garden, Gonzaga and UNLV at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, and Arizona in Birmingham. They'll face Clemson in the 2025 ACC-SEC Challenge and potentially host the nation's No. 1 ranked team when the Purdue Boilermakers visit Coleman Coliseum on Nov. 13. On the roster front, coach Nate Oats got a boost when Labaron Philon chose to return to college for his sophomore season rather than hope for a potential second-round NBA draft selection. Philon's return is particularly welcome news since Alabama lost top scorer Mark Sears to graduation. Philon and Aden Holloway will be in the backcourt in both players' second seasons in Tuscaloosa. Former 5-star recruit and Miami Hurricanes guard Jalil Bethea joined Alabama via the transfer portal, and a healthy Latrell Wrightsell Jr. should also be back for 2025-26 after suffering a season-ending injury at the end of November. Alabama also lost top rebounder Grant Nelson and big man Clifford Omoruyi, so two more transfer portal acquisitions in Taylor Bol Bowen (from Florida State) and Noah Williamson (from Bucknell) will look to shore things up in the frontcourt. On Tuesday, USA TODAY Sports' four-person expert panel of Paul Myerberg, Jordan Mendoza, Eddie Timanus, and Erick Smith unveiled their updated early Top 25 rankings on where things stand following the NBA draft and the closing of the transfer portal. Alabama cracked the top 10 at No. 8. While that's down two spots from their previous ranking, the panel hadn't updated their early Top 25 since the day after the Florida Gators defeated Houston for the national championship three months ago. By comparison, Alabama had fallen out of the top 15 in other way-too-early Top 25 rankings, including at ESPN where they'd dipped to No. 24 prior to Philon's decision to withdraw from the draft. Alabama was ranked one spot below BYU in USA TODAY Sports' updated rankings Tuesday, and one spot ahead of Rick Pitino's St. John's. The Crimson Tide will take on the Red Storm on Nov. 8 at Madison Square Garden. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
