As the 2026-2027 men's college basketball season approaches, a comprehensive look at the multi-team events (MTEs) and tournaments reveals a packed schedule. With recent NCAA adjustments allowing teams to play up to 32 regular-season games without multi-team event exemptions, the landscape of early-season competition has evolved. This overview focuses on the various bracketed and multi-day tournaments, including prominent Players Era events and round-robin showcases, offering a detailed guide to where top programs will be competing. These events, spanning from November to December, are crucial for team development and early season matchups, setting the stage for the conference play ahead.
Upcoming Collegiate Basketball Tournaments: A Detailed Schedule
Basketball enthusiasts can mark their calendars for a series of exciting collegiate tournaments and multi-team events (MTEs) scheduled for the 2026-2027 season, starting this November. These gatherings will bring together a diverse range of teams from various conferences, showcasing emerging talents and early-season rivalries.
The action kicks off with the Alabama A&M MTE from November 13-15 in Normal, Alabama, featuring Alabama A&M, Cleveland State, and West Florida in a triangular round-robin format. Following this, the Rainbow Classic will light up Honolulu from November 6-9, hosting Cal State Fullerton, Hawai'i, Portland, and UT Arlington in a three-game round-robin. Las Vegas will be the epicenter of collegiate hoops with the Players Era 8 tournament from November 17-19, where teams like Florida, Notre Dame, Houston, and Kansas will battle it out in a traditional bracket setup.
As November progresses, the Bahamas will host the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on November 19-20 in Nassau, featuring NC State, Seton Hall, and Wisconsin in a triangular round-robin. Simultaneously, the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, a traditional bracket tournament, will unfold from November 20-23 in Charlotte Amalie, with teams such as Temple, Indiana State, and East Carolina competing. The Charleston Classic in Charleston, South Carolina, on November 20 and 22, will see preset matchups involving Dayton, Minnesota, Northwestern, and more.
From November 21-26, Palm Springs, California, will host the extensive Acrisure Series with varied formats, including teams like Fordham, UC Irvine, Tulsa, Oregon State, USC, and LSU across multiple days and pods. Concurrently, the Northern Kentucky MTE will take place from November 23-25 in Highland Heights, Kentucky, with Bellarmine, Georgia Southern, and Northern Kentucky. The prestigious Maui Invitational, a traditional bracket tournament, is set for November 23-25 in Lahaina, Hawaii, drawing top contenders such as Mississippi, Washington, VCU, and Arizona. The Fort Myers Tip-Off in Fort Myers, Florida, on November 24 and 26, will feature matchups like Pitt vs. Oklahoma and DePaul vs. Purdue. Cancun, Mexico, will be the backdrop for the Cancún Challenge from November 24-25, offering a traditional bracket and on-campus games with teams like Southeastern Louisiana and Eastern Michigan.
Las Vegas will again host the Players Era 16 from November 24 and 26-28, a large-scale traditional bracket tournament with an overall championship, including Power Five teams like Tennessee, Maryland, Gonzaga, and Baylor. The Live Oak Holiday Classic will bring action to Wilmington, North Carolina, from November 25-28, featuring Liberty, Princeton, St. Thomas, and UNCW in a round-robin format. The ESPN Events Invitational will span November 23-27 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, with both Adventure and Magic groups. The Battle 4 Atlantis will occur on November 26 and 27 in Paradise Island, Bahamas, featuring a mix of preset matchups and traditional brackets with Marquette, Xavier, Memphis, and Penn State among the participants. San Diego will host the Rady Children's Invitational on November 26 and 27, a traditional bracket tournament with Georgetown, Texas, UCLA, and Saint Mary's.
Concluding November, the Boise MTE will be held from November 27-29 in Boise, Idaho, featuring Boise State, Drake, North Dakota State, and North Texas. New Orleans, Louisiana, will host the Brawl on Bourbon Street from November 27-29 with Fresno State, South Alabama, and South Dakota State. The Hofstra MTE in Hempstead, New York, will bring Colgate, Hofstra, Merrimack, and Vermont together in a round-robin from November 27-29. Easton, Pennsylvania, will see the Lafayette Classic with Lafayette, Le Moyne, Maine, and Niagara. Additionally, a Stony Brook MTE is TBD in November, involving Lindenwood, New Haven, and Stony Brook, alongside a Hawai'i Thanksgiving Week Event in Honolulu with Fresno State, Hawai'i, and Sacramento State.
Looking into December, the Dallas Tournament in Frisco, Texas, from December 18-21, will showcase set matchups involving Colorado State, Nevada, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago. A Southern California Event from December 21-23 in San Juan Capistrano, California, will feature Boise State, Oregon State, New Mexico, and Santa Clara. Finally, a Hawai'i Holiday Event (possibly the Diamond Head Classic) is TBD in December in Honolulu, with Hawai'i as the host.
The restructured NCAA tournament regulations emphasize multi-day, multi-game events, allowing programs greater flexibility in scheduling. This shift promotes diverse matchups and provides fans with an exciting array of competitive basketball before the intensity of conference play begins. These early-season tournaments are not just about winning silverware; they are crucial opportunities for teams to test their mettle, refine strategies, and build chemistry against varied opponents. The outcomes of these events often provide early indicators of a team's potential for the NCAA Tournament, making them essential viewing for college basketball enthusiasts. The increased participation in multiple tournaments per season also means more chances for unexpected upsets and breakout performances, adding an extra layer of excitement to the collegiate basketball calendar.
